November 9, 2023
Shopaholics Ruining the Planet
Shopaholics Ruining the Planet
Obviously, there's been a shopping problem for years. I haven't been helping with this issue, but that's because I got my first job within the last 1.5 years so I've been buying the things I've been wanting since like forever. But according to The Guardian, all efforts for the 12% reduction in carbon emissions have been leveled out with a 13% rise in production/selling.
This article is based in Europe, namely Britain, but it still counts as they're a fashionable country. Apparently, the average Briton buys 28 new items every year. Saying that out loud to myself actually sounds crazy because that sounds like you're redoing your entire wardrobe. The only way I'd do that is if I sell my old clothing, which I do for most of my old things. In which I was able to buy the clothing I truly wanted.
ASOS and Primark are some of the bigger names who have joined a project called Textiles 2030. Textiles 2030 is a project made for UK businesses to better their production methods and reuse anything to make new things. The companies actually did manage to reduce carbon and water used to produce their clothes, but as I said above, it's being leveled with the amount of businesses producing and consumers buying. Textiles make up about 10% of the total carbon emissions in the world. The increased production rates caused water usage to go up 8%, while carbon surprisingly stayed at 2%. And since production is closely related to consumers buying things, consumers also have a huge part to play in this. Buying 28 NEW items per year is honestly so insane for anyone who already has a decently sized wardrobe.
Research also shows that people don't even wear the majority of their clothes either. Which is another issue needing discussion. Don't get me wrong, I do try to wear most things in my closet, depending on the season of course. Winter is honestly the best time to get rid of clothes in my opinion though. You can't go outside because of how cold it can get, and it's cozy going through things. It's usually the time I go through my personal clothes. I decide if I'd wear it next season, and based on that I determine if I want to sell or donate it. Even in the article, it says that winter is the best time to go through one's clothes.
I hope that people will realize what our clothes are actually doing to the environment. Because I feel like there's this mentality about how our clothes don't impact the environment, when in reality it's one of the worst things to happen to it. Especially fast fashion clothes. Fast fashion is just the culprit of a lot of issues. But we'll see in time how this project will go.