Blue Aster Studio is going solar

We're excited to let you know that Blue Aster Studio will be run by the sun in 2022! All of the electricity used to run our business will be made by solar energy. This is a huge step for us as we try to make our business as environmentally friendly as possible.

We get so much inspiration from nature that we try to take every step possible to limit our negative impact on the environment, from reusing packing material to shipping in compostable padded mailers. Considering that our state gets a little over 50% of its electricity from coal, going solar has been pretty high on our to-do list in order to shrink our carbon footprint.

We had help in the process from Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network (SIREN). Our city of Bloomington holds monthly information sessions for anyone who is interested in harnessing the power of the sun for their home, and various means are available to make the process more affordable, too.

All told, it was only about three months between our info session and flipping the lever on the inverter to energize the system. We made it in time to qualify for a 26% tax break, and take advantage of ten years of net metering, meaning we sell excess electricity back to the power company.

To be honest, it has been slightly anticlimactic to have our system completed in the middle of gray November! But on the few sunny days we've had, we've produced up to 12.5 kWh. Knowing we can do that at this time of year makes us really excited for the coming spring and summer.

Going solar is just one step of many to make our business more sustainable. We are always striving to make better eco-conscience decisions for how we get our art out into the world. And we hope that our artwork can help you start many conservation conversations with your friends, family, and neighbors!