It might seem difficult to believe as we career into a maelstrom of Christmas-related activities and commitments but, over the final days of 2023, there will be time and space for most of us to reflect upon our lives to a greater degree than normal.
I think this is the case irrespective of the degree of importance we individually place on the Christmas festival; quite simply, life largely slows to a halt over the holiday whether one is a year-round church goer with a wardrobe chock full of festive jumpers or an unshakeable atheist with an aversion to consumerist excess.
Fittingly, this final edition of Optician for the year includes a look back at the major news stories within optics during 2023 (In Focus, pages 6-7). My experience of covering optics is that significant issues tend to come to prominence in a fairly stately fashion; often building up momentum over years before snowballing and forcing change in a relatively short space of time.
That has certainly been the case with sustainability. I remember on my very first visit to Silmo, many years ago, being deeply impressed by Modo Eyewear and its then-new Eco frames made from recycled materials. There have, of course, been many vital incremental gains made since then but 2023, to me, is the year that sustainability in optics, after being held up by the pandemic, truly gained critical mass and began to dictate terms.
I think it is fair to say Optician has shown its commitment to a better future with its inaugural Eyes on Sustainability event that brought industry professionals and practitioners together in Edinburgh at the start of November. With this issue, you will find a copy of our Eyes on Sustainability special supplement, which reports in depth on both the conference and other relevant developments.
I encourage everyone to use a bit of that extra time for reflection over the holidays to have a read and think about what they can do better sustainability-wise in 2024. All that remains for me is to thank you for reading Optician in 2023 and wish season’s greetings to all.
