Do these pants make my tush look big? Am I too old to wear this? What do you think about this color? I am sure we have all asked these questions at some point in our lives, if not this week (or this morning!)? But have you ever stopped to ask, “Is my wardrobe contributing to global warming?” Well, unless your armoire is chock full of eco-friendly fibers, the answer is a resounding–yes.
Michael Lackman, owner of LotusOrganics.com states, “Global warming is caused by pollution of the Earth’s air. Other symptoms of this dysfunctional relationship include pollution of the Earth’s waters in our oceans, rivers and ground waters; pollution of the Earth’s agricultural lands with toxic pesticides, herbicides and insecticides; and destruction by clear cutting of life-giving ecosystems such as rainforests and old growth forests.” While there are certainly many, many factors involved in global warming, and for that matter the general wear and tear we are imposing on our planet, Lackman explains that the toxins involved in generating the clothes worn worldwide are having a devastating impact on us, our land, our water, and our air. “The raising and production of organic natural fibers and their manufacturing into fabric and apparel would have a small impact on improving Global Warming. All the hazardous and toxic chemicals involved in conventional cotton clothing contributes hugely to poisoning our planet’s agricultural lands, turning ground water and rivers into potentially carcinogenic waste waters, causing the deaths of tens of thousands of agricultural workers worldwide, encouraging the social pollution of sweatshops, and aggravating chemical sensitivities and health problems in a growing number of people wearing conventional chemical clothing.”
Unless you are flight attendant or a pilot, chances are your wardrobe is more well traveled than you. Just take one garment and try to track its journey. Where was the cotton originally grown? Where was the cotton milled? Where did it go to then become fabric? What was its journey to the fabric store? How far was it shipped to arrive at the clothing manufacturer? What retailer purchased it? Where was it warehoused? How far did it have to go to get shipped to your local retailer? How far do you live from the store you purchased it? And, that only takes into consideration the pollution involved in its traveling. What about the pesticides involved in growing your garment? And how toxic were the environmental conditions in which the workers who made your garment a reality from seed to slacks?
Okay, that is enough questions for one week! There are a plethora of online (see you don’t even have to drive) options for organic and fairly traded fashions. Even Target has gotten on board with organic fashion–at least in their infant line. If we all took the stance that “My purchases make a difference,” then together we really can make a global shift!
Checkout these cool eco-fashions at the Ecoist.
Originally posted on ThatsFit.com
