☮ "Be the Change" Clothing & Consumerism ☮

We all do it, we love to buy Things. We all have our vices. Our society teaches us to consume. It is what our economy is based on. The system does not work. But it is why we love to buy so much. We have essentially been taught: You are what you Buy. Your social status, your livelihood, your happiness all depends on what you wear and what you buy. This is not truly the case, of course, but it is the illusion that is embedded into our brains by lovely Society. And it has been working. We are perfect little puppets without even being aware of it.

It is wrong for so many reason, but that rant is for another time ;)

"Things" do not bring true Happiness. A momentary "high"...maybe. But not Happiness or any feeling of true fulfillment. 

Our relentless need to consume is becoming much too taxing on our environment. Economy has been placed above Ecology. And this simply can not work. It is why we will end up killing our planet, and therefore ourselves... all in the name of consumerism and Things. 

Imagine another species of life from another planet observing us... Oh, how did these people die? Well, they destroyed their planet so they could have "things". Wha??!!!! *smacks forhead*

Is this reaaaally how we want to go out?? 

Here's a little look into the Fabric Industry....

It is one of the most polluting on the planet! Cotton soaks up 10% of the world's pesticides and 25% of its insecticides--many of which are carcinogens (cancer-causing), toxic, and cause major water pollution. It takes 1/2 pound of chemicals to produce one regular old t-shirt. Is it worth it? Do you even really want to wear toxins on your skin?

Anyways, there's my little ramble for the day. Now, here are some tips to greening up your footprint when it comes to "Things" and Consumerism...

☮ Buy Organic or Sustainable: such as Organic Cotton, Hemp, Soy, Bamboo, or recycled fibres for clothing and other items. There are so many choices out there now so there's really no excuse! If you have a favorite designer, ask them to use eco-friendly materials as well. Remember consumer-demand is everything!  

☮ Buy Second Hand! There is nothing less environmentally straining than buying something second-hand! We have enough materials out there to easily please us. Be creative and go exploring. There are plenty of fun treasures to uncover and reinvent!  

☮ Buy FairTrade & Close to Home: On top of the above, just as equally important is to be aware of WHERE the products are made. No one wants to support child labour and unfair labour laws! Also, mass production in foreign countries with no pollution laws is a frightening thought--even if the tag does read "Organic." Not to mention all those items then have to cross oceans and travel all over the place before they get to stores and then you. Buying Locally is so important and supporting Handmade goods as well. There are sooooo many amazing products out there that fit this ideal. p.s. Etsy is a great place to search! :)  

☮ Buy LESS: We don't need to consume as much as we do. Remember, you can't buy Happiness. Be happy with what you have. Splurge every once in a while, sure, but learn some restraint. Plus, it's easier on the pocket. Simplicity is environmentally friendly and it's sexy! ;)

☮ Clear out your Closet: Chances are, your closet is over-crowded. There's probably items in there that you barely wear or maybe have only worn once, or maybe that you didn't even know were in there. What are they doing there?? If you don't wear them, give them away, donate them, or repurpose them--but don't just throw them out, that's wasteful. I cleared out my own closet during the recent move--twice. Once while packing, and again when unpacking. I was embarrassed by the humungous pile I had laying on my bed. Someone else will want and/or appreciate some of those things you have, so give a little!  

☮ Re-Wear, Re-Wear, and Wear again! Why on earth do we wear one item and then throw it in the laundry? This is so wasteful! I re-wear my clothes many many times before they go to my laundry machine. And don't give me the smelly excuse. I sweat a lot, I'm a smelly Italian girl ;) and I still manage to re-wear my clothes without being stinky. Even if you just wash the arm-pits of a hoodie and re-wear it, this is still much better than clothes going directly to your laundry machine.  

☮ Do Laundry Less: The above tip is a good one to do Laundry less. It is a new commitment for me, even though I already only did laundry once ever three weeks. I now go at least a month and a half before doing laundry! It is a great feeling to know I can manage to do this! :)    

☮ Hang Dry! If you're able to, absolutely hang-dry your clothes! This eliminates the need for wasted energy from your dryer--and again, is easier on the pocket. 

Even though I was already very eco-conscious in my buying habits before, I still wanted to improve. I have now made 

the Commitment to only buy Organic or Eco-friendly Products. 

Not just for clothes, but for everything I buy, ever. 

I'm enjoying it thoroughly and it is incredibly rewarding. Sometimes you have to dig a little harder if there is something you're after, but there is always a solution. Plus, you end up finding some really neat things this way! ^_^

Remember, no matter what Society will have you believe, You are NOT what you Buy! 

What are Your new Earth Commitments lately?  

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca  

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