What is Compost?
Compost is organic material (such as food waste) that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 28 percent of what we throw away. Sending things to the landfill should always be a last resot since it takes up space and releases methane (a toxic gas) into the atmosphere. Composting is a great alternative to say your waste and reuse it for something better instead!! Why Should I do It? It’s no secret that reusing any sort of material contributes to reducing waste, carbon foot prints, and the release of green house gases into the atmosphere. So that is one very good reason to start considering compost. Besides contributing to combating Climate Change, composting also improves soil health, promotes healthier plant growth, conserves water, prevents soil erosion, assists in stormwater management, and strengthens your connection with nature and the environment! Not to mention it keeps the smelly food out of your garbage can!! How Do I Start? Do some research around your area! If you live in a city there might already be pick up/ drop off composting programs for your community! If there arent any services near you the next best option is to start a compost bin on your porch/balcony or outside your home! What Do I Need: All composting requires three basic ingredients:
What To Compost:
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Shoe Waste In 2020
The footwear industry produces 23.5 Billion pairs of shoes annually for 7.6 Billion people in the world, with roughly 300 million pairs ending up in landfills after they have been worn less than their recommended product life span. With estimates suggesting that the average pair takes more than 50 years to fully decompose and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, which usually makes up the midsole of most running shoes, can last for as long as 1,000 years in a landfill, this is a habit that our plant won’t be able to sustain for much longer. A habit we should be worried and concerned and actively striving to change. As part of a wider problem regarding sustainability found within the fashion world, the footwear industry has been slow to catch up on the sustainability train. However, consumers are beginning to look for more eco-friendly footwear that is both recyclable and provides healthy working environments for those within the industry. Globally, consumers are changing and nearly eight in 10 consumers surveyed say they value sustainability. Hand in hand, over 70% of these respondents claim they would pay, on average, 35% more for eco-friendly brands. Almost 80% of North Americans want to know the origin of the products they buy, if it’s ethical, and who makes them and 69% of these consumers would pay a premium for brands that provide this information. So, the shoe industry has some serious catching up to do. The times are changing and so are we. It’s time for big industries to keep up and make that change. Shoe waste in sports: In reality everyone needs shoes, and less of a necessity but more of a preference to fit into societal norms we need more than one pair. Millions of people all around the world rely on specific models of shoes to get them through their jobs, hobbies, and professions. We need shoes for every season especially those who have extreme seasons like winters or summer. Being from New Hampshire I know I go through one pair of winter boots every year, and as a skateboarder (a beginner I may add) I’ve already gone through a pair of skate shoes in the last 4 months. Skaters burn through shoes like no other, ripping holes and wearing the soles down. The average life of a skater’s shoe is about 3-4 months. Meaning the average skater seemingly goes through at least 4 shoes a year just based on basic needs, never mind the average person’s extra wants, and daily wearers. And that’s just one example of a sport, even Runners are recommended 2-4 pairs of shoes minimum at all times and that’s for safety and health! Shoes are a staple to our daily life, and not to mention a way people also express themselves and show creativity, shoes enable people to be who they want whether it’s through fashion, a sport, anything! Shoe Alternatives Being Used Now And The Problems: The current problem with the shoe industry is that it’s a bit behind schedule. And now that consumer demands are changing it’s time for brands to pick up the pace. Currently most of the troubles lay within design, materials, and process. A big question like what actually makes a shoe actually sustainable and ethical but is also possible to make hangs over this industry like no other. Solutions like using plant based materials Although it sounds good on paper may actually be ethically wrong and “green washing” their company and products, claiming it’s eco friendly when it’s not. In reality the process of producing plant based materials is as energy laden as using a petrol base for a shoe. And not to mention probably not that sustainable if we have a food crisis as well. It’s just not the most ideal solution to use our food, energy, and resources for non-edible items. Currently it seems to be like companies just dance around the idea of sustainability when really it’s not something to play with. Corporations frequently make public statements that the environment is on their agenda, making claims of having goals and okand but actually having little to no evidence of actual goals or steps to take. The smallest actions can equate to big change and I think that gets overlooked a lot, by just having a plan already means you’re taking a step. We need to take steps globally no matter how big or small. Shoe Recyling and solutions For the Public When companies and brands fail to be up to par when it comes to sustainable products, all the weight lays in the consumers hands. As it is we struggle with all sorts of waste in the world, and the general population doesn’t make enough active efforts to reverse or prevent climate change. Collecting or depositing discarded products in the proper place for them to be recycled is critical, and people can’t even recycle their plastic at home correctly. We’re all approaching climate change wrong and it’s not any one person’s fault but a collective. We need to work together to make sustainability more accessible. We need to work with organizations that take on the task of receiving discarded products and redirecting them, we need to normalize going to recycling centers, and having more readily available, like having drop off/pick up companies to work on tackling specifically for this articles purpose, shoe waste/materials and make the idea of recycling way more accessible. Current solutions for public recycling centers include donating to Goodwill and Salvation Army. This is a good start because these companies sort and redirect unusable products to re-selling centers or deem them as usable and resell them giving them another life cycle. But we need more than just that. To create change you’re supposed to go to the root of the problem, and yes one may say the consumers are the root of the problem but we’re all the problem collectively. We need more sustainable options for the general public, not just a few select “green brands’ ‘ to choose from or a recycling center or a goodwill that most consumers aren’t even sure will take their products. We need to normalize sustainability in big corporations and have it talked about and valued every time. Sustainability needs to go mainstream, It’s time to change. Brands That Are Changing: Heavy weights such as Gucci, who have created a line of shoes manufactured from bio-plastic; and Nike, who take old shoes and turn them into rubber pellets for running tracks, have both made strides in creating a more sustainable industry. Also big name brand Vans is a part of the Sustainable Apparel and has recently teamed up with Finsterre, a Cornwall-based footwear company, to launch their most environmentally conscious shoes to date, Coalition created with the planet in mind. Organic cotton, vegan leathers, and recycled backings make up the majority of the new groundbreaking design. Vans is using recycled plastic bottles for webbing, laces, and signature tabs. The result of this innovation is a new hiking boot. The line is a great push for companies with the money and resources to invest their creativity in the sustainability movement. Many other small businesses are on the rise and creating many sustainable alternatives. Setting the bar high is Thousand Fell by placing “Please return for recycling.” On their shoes, the brand is the first to launch a model where it takes back its shoes to be recycled in their entirety, paying for customers to ship back old pairs, so the company can assure that they are taken apart and every component is recycled or composted. This brand touches back on what I was previously stating about accessibility to recycling. This brand ensures they get people to recycle. Another example is brand LYF (Love Your Footprint) took the concept of the shoe back to the drawing board by designing a type of modular shoe that can be taken apart and rebuilt. Using stitching rather than gluing, the LYF shoes are designed for disassembly, allowing consumers to change pieces that are worn out or simply replace the body of the shoes with new fabric as the mood takes them. This personally is one of my favorite takes to modernizing today’s shoes. Design to be disassembled, the easier it can be taken apart the easier it can be fixed- think of a car. Some jobs are easy on cars because the part is easily accessible, other jobs take hours just to get to the part that needs fixing. . The Future of Shoe Production Personally I believe that the shoe industry really needs to rethink shoe assembly. Drawing in from brand Thousand Fell they have simplified the shoe which enables them to have easy access to parts and repair. By rethinking designs and materials together the shoe industry could be on track if not ahead in the sustainable world. It is important that brands and companies look deep into their supplies. And discuss and research eco friendly alternatives for key materials like rubber. And look into using more materials like recycled plastics, corks, etc. Materials are the key to long lasting and sturdy materials. Shouldn’t making things better and having them last longer be part of the sustainability discussion? Designing footwear that can be resolved is a strong concept that could produce massive positive change within the footwear industry, it’s time to extensively look into our materials and quality and look for ways to dramatically increase our products life cycle. Designing footwear that can be replaced when worn out, resoled or just snapped together is a fantastic starting point. Chatter within the shoe industry also includes ideas where the brand is the owner of the product and the customer leases it thus making the brand responsible for rightfully recycling or reconstructing a shoe rather than leaving it to consumers to be rather unpredictable with. There are so many innovative ideas and steps that can be taken and will open a land of opportunity to so many businesses. It’s time to revolutionize the shoe industry, it’s time to think green and think ethically. A huge step we can take now is to enforce policies within companies or strongly encourage Brands to create and show their sourcing maps and setting goals and plans to achieve them. Thus being honest with customers, lets not forget that almost 80% of North Americans want to know the origin of the products they buy, if it’s ethical, and who makes them and 69% of these consumers would pay a premium for brands that provide this information. The future holds so much opportunity and growth within all business and industry. With social media making it easier and quicker than ever to relay information to consumers we have such power and influence over the world, and as the shoe industry- especially the youth. Quite amazingly enough the younger customers are increasingly demanding higher ethical standards from companies in a variety of issues such as environmental concerns, inclusiveness and animal rights. The brands that want to keep their customers in the new decade should take this and run. Social media is the way to a consumer these days, as most brands realize this and have tapped into it it’s time to take it to the next step offering kids and consumers knowledge about sustainability, creating and posting stories on how to up-cycle, where to recycle, and ways to live a sustainable life. Customers value sustainability so give it to them! Show them how! Brands need to follow the trends and look more into things like thrifting and up-cycling and how that is on the rise. Thrifting is not only a trending want for consumers in 2020 but it is a need for the planet. If companies could tap into the world of thrifting who’s to say they won’t find gold. Some ideas include but aren’t limited to hunting down your brand in the thrifts and taking them back to the drawing board and redesigning them, up-cycling them as used and creating more one of a kind shoes that would draw a huge demand since it’s a rare one of one piece. Some of these specialized pieces can be auctioned, and proceeds donated to big causes like sustainable foundations, or nonprofits fighting for equality and ethical rights. The truth is we have so many options. In this world there are so many creative minds, we need to come together to go back to the drawing boards and collaborate to revolutionize not only fashion but bigger things like societal norms, and our planet. Climate Change is here and it is time that we acknowledge its presence and how ours can either make or break the future. sources and helpful links: https://www.businessgreen.com/sponsored/2377516/footwear-industry-wakes-up-to-waste https://www.barrons.com/articles/two-thirds-of-north-americans-prefer-eco-friendly-brands-study-finds-51578661728 As 2020 is increasingly putting more pressure on us about the environments and our societies health this message is more important than ever. Everything you do has an affect on everything around you. It’s that karmatic effect, what you do now effects your future and that is just true. So the next time you go to declutter and clean out your closet think about what to do next. To often clothes get thrown out, “out of sight, out of mind”. While that saying may be true there are so many issues with it, its not healthy for you, nor the planet. Here’s why.
In America we all have this “bigger is better” mindset, and that through material goods we can prove to one another we are “better” or more “valuable” than someone who has less than you. With this limiting mindset we are all contributing to the wicked problem of waste on earth. For example, as time goes on and our material mindsets grow, so do our land fills. We are now buying more clothing than ever in a year and using them for half the time as they did 15 years ago, Therefore generating more waste and not even using what was purchased for its potential lifespan. An average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of used clothing per person, per year. On average, nationally, it costs cities $45 per ton to dispose of old clothing. We are literally thowing out pounds of money, and material. The average lifetime of a piece of clothing is approximately 3 years, and with todays norm of fast fashion, many clothes turn into a one time use and to worsen that, they’re made from cheap synthetics across the globe which may take hundreds of years to decompose and have a massive carbon footprint. The popularity of fast fashion is destroying us, we need to normalize reducing how often we shop, start reusing our clothes, and start recycling what we can no longer use. If the average life of clothing was extended by just three months, it would reduce their carbon and water footprints, as well as waste generation, by five to 10 percent. Something that is so small, can be the start one of the most important changes on the planet, and what the world doesn’t know is that nearly 100% of fabrics and materials are recyclable! We have so many small solutions that in the end all equate to one massive change. I think the issue is, is that we all have a “were damned if we do were damned if we don’t mentally or that “I alone cant fix the planet so why try” but this is so so wrong. Yes, climate change and the waste issue of the world is rather gloomy and a big problem to face but the fact is… we need to start thinking locally, and not globally. Start with small changes, at the root of the problem, our mentalities. With that said, once you change your mind, and become aware of the problem all thats left to do is educate yourself and make conscious actions in your daily life. So let’s do just that. What happens when you throw out your clothes? Back to that statistic a bout each person throwing out 81 pounds of clothing a year… that turns into 26 billion pounds a year with the entire population of ONLY the United States and Canada, let that sink in. Before we talked briefly about synthetic clothes that are typically the cheapest and more often than not- terrible quality which makes it a perfect contender for having a short life span in your closet. These synthetics that you get shipped half way across the world for a one time use produce 400% more carbon emissions per item per year than your typical quality clothing item, to make it worse when they end up in the landfills, they release toxic greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the environment. On top of that, landfills are already the 3rd largest source of atmospheric methane on the planet, and we just continue to add to the issue of released emissions. Clothing waste ALONE accounts for 10% of all carbon emissions on the planet, and half of what ends up there doesn’t need to be. Truth is, just because it may not be wearable doesn’t mean it won’t serve a purpose and that its ready for the trash. These items can have a second life in your home as dishrags or recycled and turned into insulation. The amount of energy and water consumed to just create one pair of jeans is a-lot more than it would cost to take the time to drop off your bag of clothed at a donation center, or to even better- learn how to sew. Statistics show that 60% of people admit to not donating their clothes because theydeemed them as unusable. But its better to be safe than sorry! When you cant fix or repurpose your clothing at home, donating them is always the next best thing. Want to talk about a quick and cheap way to having a funky and cool closet? THRIFTING! Donating not only helps people find affordable clothing and home supplies, but also supplies jobs, helps your community, and reduces waste. Most donation centers also have the resources to redirect your tattered clothing to real recycling centers to become carpet padding, insulation, and a variety of other useful and needed things!! There are so many alternatives for your clothes rather than the trash and more and more are appearing everyday, even shops like H&M have created change within their stores that make it even easier for consumers to recycle and get educated. H&M’s garment collection initiative that they set up helps keep textiles in use, rather than in the landfill. H&M says that “By allowing customers to drop off (any) used clothing in any of our stores around the world for reuse and recycling, and by recycling the collected recyclable cotton textiles into new fibers, we can offer products made with recycled cotton. Our aim is to constantly increase the use of recycled fabrics, and since 2014, we have offered collections containing 20 percent recycled cotton from collected textiles.” The company’s goal: all materials either recycled or sourced more sustainably by 2030. It’s changes and goals like these that need to be in the media more and mass discussed. In reality the possibility and opportunity for change is all around us waiting to be discovered, Climate Change can be fixed! We need to adapt our habits before we are forced to. Truthfully, there are so many ways to reduce your clothing waste. Find local recycling centers, shop brands that offer one for you, shop locally and research there manufacturing, shop thrift, learn how to sew to repair and reuse clothes, have a clothing swap with your friends, list your unwanted items on sites like depop or even sell on your instagram story. Every action starts another, change your clothings life cycle and change a statistic. Change the end of the story. More information on how & where to recycle clothing, sustainable shops, and more: https://trashisfortossers.com/how-to-recycle-old-clothing ^^DIYS & HELPFUL INFO https://recyclingcenternearme.com ^^ FIND YOUR LOCAL RECYCLING CENTERS https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/fair-trade-clothing ^^ 35 ETHICAL & SUSTAINABLE BRANDS Sources: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122 https://www.upworthy.com/9-reasons-you-shouldnt-throw-away-clothes-and-4-things-you-can-do-instead https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/whats-in-your-landfill-lots-of-textiles/2020/01/27/7d43830c-364c-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html |
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