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Planet Now
Blog on Effective Environmental Communication
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Ka-ching! Money is powerful, and the ways we shop—particularly for clothes—can help us live more sustainably and support businesses with sustainable practices. Shopping sustainably can even save us money in these times of high inflation. Plus, we can more effectively communicate about the environment when we align our actions, like how we dress, with our words, like advocating for slowing climate change. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of carbon emissions (which cause climate change) and 20% of wastewater globally. Another problem with the fashion industry is its use of tiny synthetic fibers called microfibers. About half a million tons of microfibers end up in the ocean every year. Fish and other sea creatures can eat these microfibers, which can eventually get in human diets and cause health problems like cancer. People can help combat these effects by reducing clothing production and supporting companies that are producing clothing sustainably—that means the companies are taking actions like lowering their carbon emissions and water usage so that they have less negative environmental impacts. Three main ways to dress sustainably are to buy second-hand clothes, rent clothes, and buy from environmentally friendly companies. Share the following tips with other people to help them fight climate change with their wallets. Buy second-hand clothes This step is fairly simple and can save people money! For example, the same pair of jeans might cost $10 at a thrift store but $50 at a traditional retailer. When people buy second-hand clothes, they are preventing old clothes from being sent to landfills and reducing the need to produce new clothes. Even if the clothing was not made sustainably, at least it is being worn longer. Rent clothes Renting is a great option for people who need clothes for one-time-only occasions, like weddings and dances. Rent the Runway is one company that allows members to regularly rent clothes. It allows them to constantly transform their wardrobes and styles! Buy from environmentally friendly companies This action can be quite tricky. Companies can greenwash, or advertise themselves as more environmentally friendly than is true. Consumers should check which companies have clear sustainability goals and list specific actions they are taking to reach those goals. These companies should share measurable progress. A couple environmentally friendly companies are Allbirds and Athleta. How can companies avoid greenwashing? I recently answered this question when I held an Instagram Live conversation with Lynn Yap, an entrepreneur, attorney, and author of The Altruistic Capitalist. We discussed ways that individuals and businesses can take steps to slow climate change.
Yap and I speak on Instagram Live on March 15, 2022, to discuss ways that individuals and businesses can use their voices and power to slow climate change.
Watch the whole video here! (Also, you can read Yap’s blog post about my tips for environmental communication.)
When it comes to living and dressing sustainably, you do not need to be perfect. Instead, take some of these steps to add sustainable items to your closet and create a sustainable wardrobe over time. What is one tip you will keep in mind next time you decide to get new clothes?
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Welcome to my blog! It is a combination of posts from my strategic writing (spring 2022) and personal branding (spring 2023) courses at UNC. I hope you will enjoy reading the posts and learning about the environment and communication.
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