16 Fashionable Ways to Make Every Day Earth Day
In honor of Earth Month and our partnership with GASP, we are bringing you some easy tips and tricks on how to incorporate earth-friendly and sustainable actions into your daily life (if you aren’t already doing so).
First up, let's talk about plastic...
According to GlobalCitizen.org, 40% of plastic produced is one-time use packaging (water bottles, plastic bags). Every minute 2 million plastic bags are used, and 1 million single-use plastic bottles are purchased worldwide. 32% of all plastic packaging ends up in our oceans every year. This is equivalent to dumping 1 garage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute. Less than 9% of all plastic is recycled globally and plastic production has doubled over the past 50 years. It can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years for plastic to decompose. Plastic is a real problem.
While solving this problem is bigger than any one person, we can all do our part to help by taking small steps every day. Here are just a few ideas.
- Avoid single use plastic at all costs. Find your favorite reusable cup and take it everywhere. Bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store.
- When grocery shopping, avoid wrapping your fruits and vegetables in plastic bags.
- Reuse and repurpose bottles, jars, and containers when possible.
- Use reusable straws and pack lunches with reusable containers.
Next Up is Air Pollution...
Air pollution is anything released into our natural, clean air and can be natural (volcanos, windstorms) or manmade (burning of fossil fuels, internal combustion engines, ect). Our friends at GASP have informed us that more than 8 million people die every year due to air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels alone and that air pollution is the number one environmental risk factor for premature death and disease in the world. Breathing ozone pollution can trigger a variety of health issues and put those living with chronic diseases at a higher risk. Air pollution is also a contributing factor to climate change.
Think you are too small to make a difference? Think again. Every step forward matters and counts…that includes your steps as well. Here are a few things you can do to help…
- Walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation. It’s great if you can avoid the use of your car as nobody wants to pay those gas prices anyway.
- If you must use your car, plan your errands to avoid unnecessary driving.
- Telecommute if you can. Sitting in traffic is a no thank you for us.
- Keep your vehicle well-tuned and tires inflated properly to reduce exhaust emissions.
- Shop our GASP x The Cause Collection items on www.thekindnesscause.com to support GASP and their clean air initiatives or donate to GASP directly.
- Use your voice and get involved with organizations like GASP working toward clean air solutions for all.
Lastly, let's talk about the fashion industry...
There’s no denying we love fashion and that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors of environmental pollution. More than 80 billion garments are produced each year and on average a garment is worn 7 times before it is discarded. Only 15% of garments are recycled or donated, leaving the remaining discarded in landfills. Did you know it can also take up to 200 years for some of those synthetic fibers to biodegrade? Yikes! Then there is the issue with water. The fashion industry uses 1.5 trillion liters of water each year. 20% of the industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dyes of textiles and 22,000 liters of toxic waste is dumped into rivers by tanneries in Bangladesh every day. On top of that, the fashion industry accounts for 10% of the global carbon emissions. The fashion industry has also been known for inhumane working conditions.
How can you help? Here are a few tips:
- Educate yourself. Checkout sustainyourstyle.org and watch the documentary The True Cost.
- Don’t throw out your clothing when you no longer want it. Recycle it through companies like Everywhere Apparel that offer a closed loop program.
- Repair and mend your clothes instead of buying new.
- Buy second hand.
- Wash your clothing as needed with an efficient washing machine using green detergent in cold water.
- Choose organic fibers from sustainable brands. Look for certification labels such as OEKO-TEX®, GOTS, or BLUESIGN®
Tell us how you make every day Earth Day!
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