Environment & Ethics
Over the last three years we’ve been working on how to cut down on our environmental impact. We’ve ditched 99% of packaging materials that aren’t recyclable and use recycled (and recyclable) cardboard mailers and full-paper padded envelopes. The brown packaging tape we use is also paper based and fully recyclable and our documents enclosed envelopes are made from biodegradable corn starch rather than plastics.
When we source accessories, we try to find those that don’t come in plastic packaging, where possible (sadly this is quite tricky in practice) and anything that is bought in bulk and needs protective packaging, we use top grade biodegradable and compostable clear film. It looks like plastic but is made from plants and rots down fairly quickly. This gets your product to you in the best shape possible without creating lots of plastic waste.
The view inside one of our 100% recyclable padded packages.
We’ve spent quite a long time (and money) sourcing ethical supplies and we’ll be blogging and sharing our findings in the future, along with making the packing supplies available in smaller numbers for others on our website and in other marketplaces. We’ve had to take risks as they’re often only available in large quantities and that puts a lot of people off so we’ll be splitting packs down so other retailers can try them out too.
In the future, we will continue working with suppliers, distributors and manufacturers to encourage the reduction of non-recyclable materials in the supply chain, and encourage more long term sustainable solutions. We’re passionate about it, and these things take a long time to turn the corner but we all need to try and do our bit. Hopefully, this gives some assurance but do get in touch with any suggestions or concerns if you’re as passionate about this as we are.
Publishing Ethics
We are also working more and more with different composers and arrangers in the publishing side of the business. They typically get a really rough deal with most publishers and we think that is both short sighted and stingy. If composers get a better deal, they’ll be able to afford to write more (a fact often overlooked by publishers and by those who photocopy or share music!). We’d rather see composers nurtured properly and get lots of great material out there for you to try.
So, our ethic at Moonhouse Music is ‘nurture not neglect’, which coincidentally is the same as our gardening ethics, but that’s for another blog post!
We also have a special interest in championing the work of neurodiverse composers and arrangers and indeed composers with disabilities. We want to see people finding joy and satisfaction in developing their skills and putting them to use in the music industry. More diversity in music makes for a much richer and more interesting industry for all.