ARE YOU ECO FRIENDLY?

are you actually

ECO FRIENDLY?

by Lor Caudillo

The environment’s well-beingconsistently ranks low on most people’s list of worries. We live in a fast-paced country that promotes workaholic tendencies. We try to be productive at all times, and most people do not step back and examine the environmental impact of their lifestyles. If the earth is really on fire, we should make better choices—the only question is, how?

Consuming products at the rate we are used to is certainly not the answer, but a corporate strategy known as greenwashing deceives us into thinking so. Greenwashing is when a brand makes a specious claim of environmental stewardship. If you have ever bought a clothing article with a label that caused you to believe you were helping the environment by purchasing it, you have been a victim of this marketing scheme. The textile system is sad: non-renewable resources are used to produce clothes that are often only used for a short period and are then tossed in landfills or incinerated. 26 billion pounds of clothes are sent to landfills, and 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions are released from textile production each year.

Chances are, if you are shopping at a fst-fashion store such as H&M, Zara or ASOS, you are not actually supporting a company that is seriously taking holistic steps towards sustainability. Corporations tweak one or two aspects of their products and market themselves eco-conscious. Brands that are actually committed to sustainability use environmental and societal criteria for creating their products; this means that they are specific and transparent about the production process including information about the people who make their products. Check a company's website, and look for detailed information about their sustainability practices. Ethically-made clothing will cost more; that is why shopping second-hand is a fantastic option and one of the best things we can do for our planet. Shopping at online resell platforms and thrift, consignment, or vintage stores gives us pieces that are cheaper and better quality than what would be at a retail store.

Greenwashing is not going to go away, companies have autonomy when it comes to marketing. It is up to us, the consumers, to be smarter about what we buy and be more conscious of what we do with what we buy. Never throw clothes in the trash; instead, donate them, or if they are too worn out lookup textile recycling centers near you. Try to avoid trends because they lead to overconsumption.

Ultimately, purchasing less is the most sustainable route to go. It is less about frantically researching brands at which we plan to shop, and more about changing our mentality. Focus on only buying what you need— maybe a few durable and high-quality pieces that match your true style and last multiple seasons.

It is understandably a daunting process becoming an environmentally-friendly consumer. With the ticking climate clock, it can feel like all of our individual decisions have so much weight, but they do not. The reality is that the planet’s resources have already been devastated. Individual lifestyles do not only have to change, everything has to change.