Fashionistas are destroying the world.
The manufacturing of clothing has increased on a global scale; but the life span of a piece of clothing has become short. This cycle of modern consumerism is leaving a huge ecological footprint and has increased global pollution.
Cheap, man made fibres have become the king of the fashion world. Most of these fibres, including nylon and polyester, are made from non renewable resources that are not bio-degradable. Not only is the finished product unsustainable, but the manufacturing process is certainly not ‘green’, releasing harmful emissions, and using large amounts of crude oil.
When fashion changes seasonally, this unsustainable production is increased fourfold. Last years trends are sitting in landfills – 68 pounds per person per year to be exact. That’s a lot of acid washed jeans and poodle skirts.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “The rate of purchase and disposal has dramatically increased, so the path that a T-shirt travels from the sales floor to the landfill has become shorter”.
In order to keep wearable clothing off of this path, and away from landfills, a change must be made. Organizations such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army accept donations of gently used clothing, and resell them for a fraction of the original price. Recycling these clothes prevents waste from entering landfills, lowers harmful emissions caused by manufacturers, and allows people to receive quality clothing at a cheaper price.
The Council for Textile Recycling estimates that “2.5 billion pounds of textile waste is collected and prevented from entering directly into the waste stream. That is the equivalent of 10 pounds for every person in the United States, but it is still only about 15% of the clothing that is discarded”.
Global changes must start on a local scale, and that is where we come in.
As a group of grade 12 Students at Thornlea Secondary School, we want to make a difference in the local community. Through our World Issues course, we have learned how an individual action can directly affect the world. With this mind set, we have decided to organize a clothing swap within our school.
By having students and teachers bring in used clothes, and trade, we are truly embracing the idea of, ones man trash being another mans treasure. The swap not only provides an outlet for new clothes, but also provides information, through means of PowerPoint presentation, and signs, regarding the harm that the clothing industry causes.
The concept is to raise awareness about an issue that is fueled by consumers such as ourselves. The goal of the event is to inform our peers about the flawed manufacturing process of their clothing and to teach them proper disposal methods.
The swap will take place in the Thornlea Secondary School Cafeteria, on Wednesday May 26, 2010.
Bring in your clothes, and help us show that local students can make a difference.
