MSKTD’S SARAH SAVAGE CHAMPIONS DESIGN INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability has long been a passion for Sarah Savage, IIDA, RID, NCIDQ, EDAC, CHID, Interior Designer Project Manager at MSKTD. In fact, you could say it’s always top of mind—a primary consideration in all of her design work with clients.

“Sustainability is all about making thoughtful choices that support both design integrity and the planet,” she said. “The resources available won’t last forever, so let’s start now by considering materials with a circular story. I really like to say, ‘Be the Change.’”

In that sense, Sarah’s passion for sustainability extends beyond her design decisions. “Most of the sales reps who deliver design samples to our office know that recycling and repurposing have always been important to me,” she said.

So when Sarah discovered a way to marry her passion for sustainability with her work as an interior designer through ZeroLandfill, a nationwide effort to reduce landfill waste across the country, it didn’t take long for her to form an Indianapolis-based founding committee. In 2014, ZeroLandfill Indy was born.

“When carpet, fabric, and tile samples are discontinued,” she said, “you can’t send them back to the manufacturer, and I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away, so I hoarded them. Through ZeroLandfill Indy, I now have a way to divert all that material from the waste stream.”

HOW ZEROLANDFILL INDY WORKS
ZeroLandfill Indy reaches out to all the local design firms to let them know they are collecting discontinued samples. The team welcomes all types of design materials, including tiles, fabrics, resilient flooring, carpeting, resin materials, laminates, stone, glass, metals, wood, paint, and wallcoverings, just to name a few. Their dedicated team of volunteers then sort through all the donated material in a local warehouse.

The event is called ZeroLandfill Harvest and is open to the public. Attendees can take whatever they want—for free. Most people turn their finds into craft projects, artwork, and teaching tools. “We cater to classroom teachers, art teachers, and artists who sell items on Etsy,” said Sarah. The team has even seen hobby enthusiasts such as a dollhouse creator and someone who makes model cars.

HOW MSKTD COMES ALONGSIDE
MSKTD has a long history of embracing sustainability in the built environment. For decades, our team of LEED-accredited architects, designers and engineers have helped clients achieve their LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and sustainability goals. So when Sarah decided to launch an event dedicated to diverting expired design samples from the waste stream, we were all in.

All that organizing takes time, of course, and Sarah has always appreciated the way MSKTD has supported her efforts. “The event has some overlap with my work day,” she said, “and MSKTD has always been supportive with my time that I dedicate to this, and I’m very appreciative.”

Not only does MSKTD reserve space in their sample library for all those discontinued samples; they also help load them up on Donation Day. “All I have to do is send out an email to the office,” said Sarah, “and everyone jumps in to help.” Our Fort Wayne office does the same, collecting discontinued samples and bringing them down to Indianapolis for the Harvest event.

“We are proud of Sarah’s hard work and passion to make a difference in the local design community with ZeroLandfill,” said Nick Slater, Principal, Senior Architect, LEED AP. “Sarah’s efforts align with MSKTD’s goal of pushing the construction industry to be more sustainable.”

HOW ZEROLANDFILL INDY PROMOTES UPCYCLING
Since its inception in 2014, ZeroLandfill Indy has diverted an estimated 150,000 pounds—or up to 75 tons—of material from the waste stream. To promote even more creativity, Sarah started an art contest, “The Undesirables,” to encourage local artists to create artwork from any binders and smaller samples left over at the end of the day. The winner earns a small prize, and Sarah keeps even more product from reaching a landfill.

“My dream is to have my own warehouse when we have leftovers from our Harvest event,” said Sarah. “If it’s really good stuff, I’ll save it. My garage gets pretty full! We also donate some things to ReStore by Habitat for Humanity. And I recently brought some fabric swatches to Goodwill. I’m always looking for what to do with extras.”

2024 HARVEST EVENT
ZeroLandfill Indy, with their long-time partnership with Mayer Fabrics, is hosting its annual
Harvest event on Saturday, September 28, from 9AM – 3PM at 500 S. Kitley Avenue, Indianapolis.

SAMPLES DROP-OFF DATES
Interior designers and architects can bring their discontinued or spare samples to Mayer Fabrics between 4PM – 7PM on Monday, September 23, Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27.

For more information about ZeroLandfill Indy or to get involved, visit their Facebook page or email
zerolandfillindy@gmail.com.