On a society geared towards consumption, the amount of waste generated in the United States has been increasing. Between 1960 and 2009 the amount of waste each person creates increased from 2.7 to 4.3 pounds per day*.
Often when considering the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle), one might think of reduce as a sacrifice, as abstinence from some “privileges”. We must look Reduce not as a sacrifice, or as lowering our quality of life, but as a change in our everyday habits. When specifically looking at textiles, the amount discarded has nearly doubled in the past 10 years. Yet 85% of all textiles in the US end in the landfills. We can make sure all our clothing is recycled/reused; When we ensure we donate, recycle or simply consume less clothing, we are also reducing the need for cotton production; in that way reducing the amount of pollution of the soil by pesticides, less energy and water used, and more land left for use in agriculture (as an example).
We all share one home, our planet; we must all take part and consider the impact of our actions have for the future.
*Source: EPA – Environmental protection agency
1 comment:
Getting into the mindset of "reducing" the use of textiles, energy, water ... is a vital one, both for the current environment and for the future - as the world population expands people have to make more out of the resources they have. Reduction of resource use also is necessary and makes sense for many people given the current economic situation throughout the world. People in the poorest countries do not overuse resources because that is not a choice for them - people in richer parts of the world could learn something from them.
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