Ceramic Tile: A Handcrafted Art Form Drives an Eco-revolution

Barry and Debbie Russell founded Encore Ceramics, a ceramic tile business in southern Oregon, with a passion for two things: the artform of handcrafted ceramic tiles and a belief in building a sustainable, innovative and green-friendly business that didn't harm the environment.

As Barry puts it, "From the start, we didn't see why waste had to be an inevitability of the factory manufacturing process." Today, Encore proudly states that the company produces no raw waste - instead, it redirects scrap materials back into manufacturing and continuously refines its factory process to accept them. All raw materials leave the company only in the form of a finished, salable product - and one that happens to be beautifully handmade by craftspeople who are equally concerned about the planet.

This revolutionary approach to the energy-intensive business of making ceramic tile has led Barry and Debbie's team to seek innovative solutions across the board:

· Procuring clean, renewable energy from one of the largest solar panel installations in the Northwest to run its electric firing kilns;

· Committing to being a climate neutral company by investing in electric/hybrid vehicles and reducing energy use;

· Educating their employees so that each team member goes the extra mile to carry out Encore's goals of energy self-sufficiency and a green manufacturing process.

There's a palpable sense of excitement about the future at Encore; whether striving to achieve the goal of 100% energy self-sufficiency or introducing their newest product line of 90%-recycled glass, the company's on a roll and growing significantly in both business and green-ness. Barry and Debbie have learned that "It is do-able...you can have a successful business that respects the Earth. When we started, we didn't have two nickels to rub together and now, customers actually seek us out for our strong commitment to our values of beauty, craftsmanship and eco-consciousness."

This is just one example of how individuals, organizations, businesses and governments are helping to stop climate change. There are thousands more across the country and around the world – and it’s through these efforts that we’re going to be successful. We can’t afford not to succeed in this unprecedented challenge to our planet.

You can view more success stories or find out how you can get involved. If you have your own success story to add, please let us know.