TIPS 4 EARTH DAY Hannah Nichols

April 22nd is Earth Day! Created in 1970, this day is a celebration of the Earth and all its natural beauty. As well, this day serves as a reminder of the resources we get from the planet and helps educate people on why we need to protect it.

Considering the exponential growth in climate change over the past decades, this Earth Day is an important one; some scientists are saying we won’t have many Earth Days left! At this point, according to many environmental researchers, the actions of individuals may not be enough to remediate this climate crisis. Huge manufacturing corporations contribute tons and tons of pollution every day. One industry in particular, the textile industry, is doing a sizable chunk of the damage.

The textile industry, especially fast fashion, contributes more pollution than international aviation and shipping combined.

Fast fashion is defined as inexpensive and rapid manufacturing of clothes in accordance with trend cycles. Companies will set up factories in underdeveloped nations with little to no labor laws. Due to lack of government regulation, clothing companies often get away with dumping pollutants unsafely, corrupting water and air.

Consumers are also to blame; the average American throws away about 81 pounds of clothing a year. Rapidly evolving trend cycles means that clothing is bought and discarded shortly after for being “out of style.” This increases the need for more manufacturing, and then more consumption; it is a neverending cycle.

So how can one shop for clothing sustainably? How can the individual address fast fashion and lessen their impact? The biggest, but sometimes most difficult, way is to reduce your consumption levels. Buy quality items of clothing that will last you more than a year. Try not to feed into trend cycles. I know it’s hard, but stop and ask yourself: “Do I actually like this or is it just popular? Will I wear it again in a few months?” Buy less clothing overall, and try to search out ethical brands.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to find affordable brands that use ethical production methods, and many companies use “greenwashing,” which is essentially lying about how their products are made to seem more sustainable. Do research before purchasing. Small businesses are usually good about being i lly conscious.

Additionally, try to shop secondhand when you can. Thrifting is a great way to get unique pieces of clothing for relatively cheap.

Big thrift stores like Goodwill are a good place to look, as they usually are bigger and have more items. However, smaller, locally-owned vintage stores are often curated and easier to find things in.

There are some awesome ones in Tallahassee with helpful employees. The Other Side Vintage, Savvy Salvage, and City Walk are some favorites.

There are a lot of vintage sellers who set up shop at Market Wednesday right here on campus. Consignment stores are another good place to look, as they typically only buy quality pieces in good condition.

Shopping secondhand is also really easy online. Websites like eBay, Mercari, and Facebook Marketplace are good places to get cheap vintage, and you can also search for exactly what you want.

Finally, be fun and creative with the stuff you already have! Wear a scarf as a shirt, a shirt as a skirt, or a skirt as a dress.

Upcycling old clothing is not only a fun little activity, it’s a good way to reduce your individual clothing waste. There are tons of free tutorials online.