• Sustainability in All Its Forms
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• Sustainability in All Its Forms THE POINT IN THIS ISSUE THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL PIERCERS 4 FROM THE EDITORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jef Saunders—President 7 Cody Vaughn—Vice-President PRESIDENT’S CORNER Aaron Pollack—Secretary Paul King—Treasurer 8 Kendra J. Berndt—Director of Events & Operations Luis Garcia—International Liaison REDUCING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT Ryan Ouellette—Outreach Coordinator Steve Joyner—Legislation & Regulatory Affairs 10 Jef Saunders—Membership Liaison FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS Miro Hernandez—Public Relations Brian Skellie—Medical Liaison 14 ADMINISTRATOR SUSTAINABILITY—LEARNING TO CULTIVATE Caitlin McDiarmid EDITORIAL STAFF 18 Managing Editor of Content & Archives—Kendra J. Berndt PIERCING STATISTICS Managing Editor of Content & Statistics—Marina Pecorino Contributing Editor—Ryan Clark 21 Art Director & Contributing Editor—Jim Ward Contributing Editor—Elayne Angel UPDATE FROM THE SECRETARY ADVERTISING 22 [email protected] Front Cover: Alicia Cardenas CONFESSIONS OF A FUNERAL DIRECTOR Photo by Autumn Swisher ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL PIERCERS 24 1.888.888.1APP • safepiercing.org • [email protected] Donations to The Point are always appreciated. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The Association of Professional Piercers is a California-based, international non-profit 26 organization dedicated to the dissemination of vital health and safety information about body piercing to piercers, health care professionals, legislators, and the general public. SILVER ANCHOR Material submitted for publication is subject to editing. Submissions should be sent via email to [email protected]. 30 The Point is not responsible for claims made by our advertisers. However, we reserve the right to reject advertising that is unsuitable for our publication. FUNDRAISING FOR THE BPA 32 PIERCING—AN INTERVIEW WITH ELAYNE ANGEL 2 THE POINT ISSUE 78 3 We can embrace the idea of sustainability in our FROM piercing room by ensuring an ergonomic work envi- ronment to take as much stress off of our bodies as THE EDITORS possible. We see many very industry specific issues that seem to arise due to the repetitive nature of our April Thomas Photo: MARINA PECORINO tasks. Making sure that you take care of your body will KENDRA JANE B go a long way to ensuring a long and happy career. The Point Editors We also need to build sustainable businesses by cre- ating business plans and practices which ensure con- stant and continual growth at a calculated pace. Un- • Marina Pecorino checked growth in a business is neither realistic nor sustainable, and therefore should be avoided. lenge by reducing the use of supplies and tools, We can also strive to lessen our overall carbon foot- and thus reducing the need for additional pro- print within our shops. By making small changes in cessing and disposable products. For some our environment and routines, we can lessen our im- piercers, this is a perfect solution, but for oth- pact on the planet. It can be as easy as not printing ers, this may not be a change they’re prepared unnecessary receipts, switching to LED lightbulbs, or to undertake. installing a lower flow toilet. There’s also the unfortunate truth that our This issue will explore the idea of sustainability in work takes an emotional and physical toll on its many forms and how it can impact our careers and us, making burnout a very real possibility. the body modification industry in more ways than you Long hours on our feet and standing in strange Photo: Kendra Jane B. Kendra Photo: may have thought possible. We would love to hear how What WOULD positions can lead to muscle fatigue and joint Paul King do? you have made changes for a more sustainable career! pain for many. Hectic days when breaks are Email us at [email protected] scarce and meals may be a fantasy can leave us without the resources our body needs to maintain our pace. Add to that the emotional strain of taking on an especially challenging Monthly Mail-In Buy 8 get 2 FREE client, and you’ll be ready for bed as soon as ustainability touches many aspects of Spore Testing Service on ALL Blackjack Gloves! you get home. Even some of my most enjoy- Protecting and Supplying the our daily personal and professional Tattoo Industry with the finest: able and meaningful client experiences have (latex and non-latex) lives. In this issue, Kendra Jane provides Gloves Sterilization left me feeling drained. If we intend to sustain n Products tips for reducing our carbon footprint Face Masks n this profession, it’s important to remember & Shields Disposables YOUR NET PRICE: Sthrough structural improvements and office n n our self-care regimen; as the Volunteer duck- upgrades. Also, Jared Karnes of Onetribe dis- Disinfectants Protective Apparel $7.35 lings say, “What Would Paul King Do?” & Cleaners & Eyewear cusses sustainability and his discovery of per- maculture from a manufacturing perspective. • Kendra Jane B Christina Shull shares some wisdom about When you hear the word “sustainability,” your how to establish a solid business and personal first thoughts might be of recycling soda cans budget, with a focus on financial planning and or composting your vegetable scraps. How- 12 Tests with Matching Controls Our Spore Testing services are available for retirement. ever, the idea of sustainability is one that can Steam/Autoclave, Chemical Vapor and Dry Heat For the safety of our clients and ourselves, be applied in a much broader sense to every sterilization cycles. Blackjack Blackjack it is an unfortunate consequence that our in- aspect of life. Things such as maintaining a North Bay Bioscience Monthly Service includes: Latex Gloves Nitrile Gloves n Prompt notification on all failed tests Powder-Free/Textured Powder-Free/Textured dustry is a heavy producer of waste. I’ve often sustainable work life balance; which in our in- n Email Statement of Test Results Available: XS, S, M, L & XL Available: XS, S, M, L & XL been morbidly curious to know how much dustry seems very difficult for many. Creating n Secure access to test results online 24 hours a #LG-8000 Series #NG-8000 Series weight in garbage an average piercing room a healthy balance of piercing and non-pierc- day, 7 days a week n Email Reminders to Test generates in a day, but that newfound knowl- ing related activities is something I struggle n 24 hour incubation of Steam Tests edge would more than likely make me sad. with myself almost daily. However, I believe it n Gram staining verification on all failed tests As we look toward the future of our pro- is important to realize that we all need down- n A control strip that accompanies each test strip n Certificate of Participation fession and our planet, I think it’s important time and we all need to foster the passions we to bring sustainability to the forefront of our have in life outside of our piercing room. In 1.800.289.7786 n [email protected] n www.nbbs.com minds. Some studios are taking on this chal- the long run it makes us better piercers. 4 THE POINT ISSUE 78 5 THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER JEF SAUNDERS APP President s you may know, I currently serve as safe piercing jewelry has become more and both President and Membership Li- more the norm in shops all over the world. This aison. I feel that this is a very exciting welcome exchange of ideas has illuminated the time to be involved in all aspects of path to APP membership, but more important- AAPP Membership; there are more tools at our ly safer piercing practices worldwide. disposal than ever before. The entire APP benefits from the assistance Technological advances have made shoot- so many of our Members have given to pro- ing videos and photographing documents spective applicants. The volunteers within the easier than ever. In years past, a new applicant APP work so hard to make the organization would have to shoot a VHS or DVD, along effective, and they have my sincere gratitude. with photocopies of all of their compliance I also want to say thank you to those of you documentation. They would then ship it in the within our organization and within our com- mail to our office, where it was forwarded to a munity that supply piercers with so much person on our Membership Committee, who health and safety information and education. would review it. Then it would be shipped to a The growth our organization has experienced second person on our Membership Commit- wouldn’t have happened without you. tee for review. To maintain this growth and continue to If an applicant made a small fulfill our mission of health and safety edu- The volunteers within the mistake, it could take months cation, the APP is taking steps to streamline of letters and phone calls to the membership application process. We are APP work so hard to make make an important change doing this by developing a digital application the organization effective, and appropriately document which we are hoping to unveil very soon. This and they have my sincere it. Now, we can instantly re- digital application should result in fewer miss- gratitude. spond with requests for miss- ing documents, making each step easier for ing documents or quick fixes applicants to understand as well as committee of minor mistakes in an ap- members and the office staff to process. It is plicant’s piercing studio. This means far fewer my hope that this simpler, digital application declination letters have to be sent over minimal will allow the APP to continue growing the errors. The Membership Committee sees these way it has over the past five years. mistakes and then gets to engage in one-on- In addition to a digital application, the APP one health and safety education that makes a is in the process of automating certain aspects real difference in our community.