The reliance on and overuse of plastics leads to their irresponsible disposal. Plastics have a lifespan of hundreds to thousands of years and do not biodegrade in (Sigler 2014, Xanthos & Walker 2017). Plastic pollution adversely affects biodiversity in a myriad of ways. Plastic entanglement can cause starvation, suffocation, infection, reproductive issues, and mortality (Xanthos & Walker 2017). Plastics also absorb chemicals and pollutants which leads to high concentrations of toxins, causing disease and mortality (Prata et al. 2019). In one year the bottled water industry expends 2.5 million tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide and kills an estimated 1.1 million marine organisms (Grey, n.d.). One pound of manufactured PET plastic produces three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions (Blue 2018).

Our solution is centered around reusing items with the hope of reducing people's overconsumption and bringing awareness to the issue. Overconsumption is tied to the biodiversity crisis through means of pollution and habitat degradation, as well through carbon dioxide emissions released during production or waste disposal. Even if you recycle, studies show that each piece can only be recycled around 2 to 3 times before it is no longer usable (Sedaghat, 2018). Humans are consuming resources at a faster rate than the world can naturally replenish, causing the depletion of natural resources like fresh water and arable land.

Emissions and wastewater generated during the manufacturing of textiles are two areas of concern (Chen et al. 2020). Acidic gases released during textile production harm the airways of terrestrial and aerial organisms (Claudio 2007). The textile industry is one of the largest producers of wastewater often dumped into rivers and streams, poisoning them with carcinogenic chemicals, heavy metals, and dyes. Dyes are especially harmful, as they reduce the waterway's oxygen content and kill aquatic organisms (Regan 2020). Lastly, the production of fabrics utilizes copious amounts of freshwater and pesticides, reducing finite resources and viable habitat (Claudio 2007).

Electronic waste is very damaging to the environment due to the multitude of toxic metals and chemicals involved in manufacturing electronics (Herat 2012). The mining, smelting, and refining of metal ores used in electronics leads to habitat degradation through release of toxic fumes and runoff of heavy metals (Dudka & Adriano 1997). E-waste similarly releases toxins and metals into the soil, air, and waterways damaging local ecosystems (Grossman 2016).