Month: April 2024

In my last blog, I talked about how one can change their habits through cues and rewards. In this blog though, I’ll be talking about how one can begin to shift their lifestyle through small choices over time. The lifestyle that this blog will be talking about though, will be, how to make clothes last longer when properly cared for. Why should you take care of your clothes correctly? You should take care of your clothes properly so they may last longer and you will not need to get new clothes as often. As a bonus, as we all know, the fashion industry is a hot mess when it comes to sustainability, but by learning to care for your clothes correctly, you can become sustainable by protesting against the fast fashion industry in a very peaceful way by not buying new clothes as often. 

There are many different methods of taking care of your clothes. But before I begin, let me define what ‘proper’ means. Proper means, using the right amount of detergent, using the washing machine correctly, knowing how to read clothes labels, and knowing how to wash your clothes without damaging them.

Let us begin this journey of change as a college student. Most college students either learn how to wash their clothes when first going to college, or learn how to before college even begins. But did you know you could be damaging your clothes by not washing them properly? The most common mistakes college students, and others, make when washing their clothes are too much detergent, overloading the washer, not sorting clothes, and not checking the garment labels (Festiva Laundry). Each of these mistakes can take some life off of the garment, leading them to not last long. 

Using too much detergent can cause extra soap suds that do not completely rinse out of clothes, leaving behind a sticky residue (Bennett, 2022). But by measuring out the right amount, using only about 1 tablespoon per average weight load (Sanci, 2023), preventing detergent buildup is simple. To make this process more sustainable, try switching to a ‘cleaner’ detergent brand or make your own detergent.

The next common mistake that people tend to make is overloading the washing machine. Overloading a washing machine can cause performance issues mechanically, not clean your clothes, and tear clothes up (Buiano, 2023). The simple way to prevent your clothes and machine from being torn and overloaded is by decreasing the amount put in so that about the machine is only ⅔ full. You can also prevent your clothes from showing tears by using a delicate’s bag. A delicates bag is a bag where items that are more fragile, like silk, bras, or knitwear, can be put into to prevent tears from happening on the garment. Delicates bags have been shown to lessen the damage some garments might face. I can say this for certain through personal experience.

Next, not reading the garment label of your clothes before washing them can lead to disastrous consequences. Some of those consequences could be your clothes shrinking, getting holes, etc. But to properly take care of your clothes, reading the garment tags can instruct you how to wash your clothes properly. Checking the tag before washing your clothes can help preserve the longevity of your clothes (Buiano, 2023). Below is a stand guide of images that tell you how to wash your clothes. These images range from what temp and how to wash, bleach or no bleach, dryer or no dryer, etc.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/68d051_3d1483f9ac114bd2a8e5a163649064c7~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_1000,h_891/fcc_laundrylabels.png

 

Finally, the last mistake people tend to make is not sorting their clothes. Sorting clothes is important because it helps preserve the color of the garment. Think about it, you have a load of whites but you accidentally put one red sock in the load of whites. Now all of those whites are a pink color! Trying to revert the pink back to white would take a miracle. This is why sorting clothes by color is important. When sorting clothes, you’ll also want to think about the material of the garment. Is it delicate, is it linen, is it a sturdy material, etc. Separating by color and type of material is helpful because it can preserve the cloth. For instance, if I want to wash my linens, I would want to use hotter water because it can sanitize the linens better. But if I use hotter water when I wash my clothes, they tend to shrink. This is why separating is important because you can then give each category of garment or cloth the attention it needs.

In the end, learning how to properly wash and take care of your clothes can make them last longer and prevent you from having to buy new garments so often. 

 

References

Bennett, J. (2022, July 10). 7 Common Laundry Mistakes That Can Damage Clothes. Better Homes and Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/tips-checklists/laundry-mistakes/

Buiano, M. (2023, August 30). 10 Common Laundry Mistakes That May Prevent Your Clothes From Getting Clean. Martha Stewart. https://www.marthastewart.com/common-laundry-mistakes-7853523

Festiva Laundry. (n.d.). 6 Common Laundry Mistakes College Students Make at the Laudrymat. https://festivalaundry.com/resources/6-common-laundry-mistakes-college-students-make-laundromat/

Sanci, E. (2023, September 19). Stop Using So Much Laundry Detergent. Wirecutter. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/stop-using-so-much-laundry-detergent/

 

Most would agree that, within young adults our society has reached a new low in life satisfaction. The rise of mental illness concerns and lack of hope can be contributed to any number of things, a global pandemic during important formative years, high cost of living, an ultra-competitive job market, all leaving the younger millennial and Gen-Z generations with greater levels of stress and mental health concerns than ever. A recent post by the Guardian explored the viewpoints of multiple generations on the state of mental illness in Gen-Z. One psychologist emphasized that Gen-Z is struggling to find things to look forward to. There was undeniably an underlying lack of hope for a stable and satisfying life contributing to increased mental illness and burnout within younger generations. Professionals within the Guardian article highlighted the shift in values of the younger generations to better work-life balance, yet less prospects for anything of the sort to be achieved. 

It seems like an impossible task, curing entire generations of an underlying stress over their future, however I believe the slow living movement may be the societal shift that is vital to the well being of future generations. This movement emphasizes a shift away from the “busy” lifestyle we currently idolize in western society. Instead, it offers one where we prioritize satisfaction and the joys of daily life and community, rather than pursuing the highest salary or the largest home. The simplification of life and the slow living movement offers a way for the newer generations to cope with increasing cost of living, and the subsequent disconnectedness and anxiety that constant movement creates. There’s a strong historical significance of the movement, as before industrialization, most people lived a “slow” lifestyle. We were connected with nature, valued quality over quantity, and were completely “unplugged”. 

This lifestyle offers benefits for mental and physical health, and the health of the environment. DE-Influencing is a trend that has begun to touch on the heart of this movement, emphasizing replacing items when they no longer serve the function they are intended to, rather than buying a new product for the purpose of doing something more efficiently or being aesthetically pleasing. This serves both the environment, as the sheer amount of waste entering landfills decreases, the carbon footprint of shipping and transporting goods is reduced, and natural resources like oil used to make plastics or water used to make jeans is considerably reduced. The slow living movement also emphasizes a connection with nature, suggesting cooking each meal with intention and sourcing food as locally as possible, with the potential to grow part of your own food. The movement away from fast food and time spent in nature gardening pose a variety of health benefits, reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease while also having proven mental health benefits. Simply seeing the outdoors for an hour a day can have benefits to mental health, and help reduce the disconnected feeling that constant technology and extreme sensory inputs from indoor environments produce. When people are more educated about and connected with nature they almost always place a higher value on the environment, which trickles down into political and social decisions. On a large scale, the slow living movement may help us save not only younger generations struggling with their health, but the environment along with it. 

 

Works Cited 

 

Franco, Lara S, et al. “A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More than Meets the Eye.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Aug. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5580568/. 

Solan, Matthew. “Taking It Slow.” Harvard Health, 1 Nov. 2022, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/taking-it-slow. 

“What Is Slow Living & How Does It Correlate to Sustainability?” The Momentum, www.themomentum.com/articles/what-is-slow-living-how-does-it-correlate-to-sustainability. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024. 

“What’s up with Generation Z?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 Mar. 2024, www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/03/whats-up-with-generation-z.

Carbon dioxide has been known to be one of the most prevalent reasons for climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels, with the concentrations in the atmosphere rising yearly due to human activities releasing more into the atmosphere than natural processes can remove. In 2023, the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide was 419.3ppm, which is 50% higher than it was before the Industrial Revolution (Lindsey, 2023). This is detrimental because carbon dioxide traps heat and redirects it towards earth, heating up the Earth and contributing to around 2/3 of the total heating influence of all greenhouse gases produced.

 

A way governments are attempting to counter this continuous rise in carbon emissions is by implementing a carbon tax, which is imposing a price on carbon emissions to mitigate the negative externalities created by greenhouse gas emissions (brookings.edu). In carbon pricing, there are two different main forms: emissions trading systems (ETS) and carbon taxes. An ETS is also known as a cap-and-trade system, which limits the quantity of pollution that can be produced, but then is also able to be traded to other entities (US EPA, 2016). This allows there to still be a cap but allows for flexibility for certain industries on their path. The other is a flat carbon tax, which essentially just taxes you based on the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. Currently, around 40 countries have implemented these mechanisms, with more planning to implement them in the future due to their success in reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy.

 

Putting a price on carbon is essential for continuing to reduce emissions, as it helps discourage companies from using fossil fuels, which will in turn help the environment. There is some pushback from certain companies about the implementation of a flat carbon price, but it has future uses other than simply costing more money. It is not only implemented as a climate policy but can also be used as an economic policy. The taxes paid for carbon allow the government to use more funding towards creating clean energy opportunities, helping eliminate the use of fossil fuels, as well as promote and scale other future climate mitigation efforts. Also, these taxes help incentivize companies to reach the United States long-term climate goals, as companies will search for alternatives that are less expensive.

 

A critic about carbon pricing is that the tax is too low to make much of a difference for the major contributors of carbon dioxide. Creating too high of a tax too early could drastically limit major companies’ ability to invest in renewable energy for the future, but implementing a tax too low would not incentivize industries to invest in renewable energy at all. Also, many large companies and people are fighting against the carbon tax, especially consumers. This is because goods and services that rely on carbon-intensive processes such as transportation, energy production, electricity, and heating can all raise in price (Why Putting a Price on Carbon Has Been Fraught with Difficulty, 2023). This leads to a negative public opinion towards carbon pricing. However, the implementation of carbon pricing has statistically proven to reduce the amount of carbon emissions put into the atmosphere (Jotzo & Burke, 2020).

 

 

As shown in the graph above, the countries that had no carbon price in 2007 have majority rising the carbon dioxide emissions growth, while virtually all of the countries with a carbon price show a decrease or equal amount of carbon dioxide emissions growth.

 

Overall, carbon pricing is a valuable tool that the government can utilize to help reduce carbon emissions, while also building a better future for generations to come. While there may be short term detriments, the long-term implications are beneficial both monetarily and environmentally. This pricing would speed up the building of renewable energy and help drastically reduce the effects of climate change in the future.

 

Resources

Jotzo, F., & Burke, P. (2020, September 4). Does carbon pricing work? This is what a new study found. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/carbon-pricing-study-emissions-global-warming-climate-change/#:~:text=Growth%20in%20annual%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions%20was%20about

Lindsey, R. (2023, May 12). Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide. Climate.gov; NOAA. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide

US EPA. (2016, March 16). What Is Emissions Trading? | US EPA. US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/emissions-trading-resources/what-emissions-trading

Why putting a price on carbon has been fraught with difficulty. (2023, November 3). Www.ft.com. https://www.ft.com/content/d91d6daa-a5bf-42fd-9a9b-24f86e3fbc6b

Plastic bags have become ubiquitous in our lives, from grocery stores to retail shops. But as convenient as they are, they have become a major environmental issue, contributing to litter, pollution, and a growing waste problem.

 

The numbers are staggering: It’s estimated that over 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. [1] Around 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away annually in the United States alone. [2] The rest end up in landfills, oceans, and other natural environments, where decomposing takes hundreds of years.

 

Believe it or not, plastic bags are recyclable. But not in your typical recycling bin. They must be taken to a specialized facility for processing. These facilities are sparse in the United States. Municipal recycling plants don’t take plastic bags due to how expensive it is to recycle them. Many Americans are unaware that these bags cannot be recycled conventionally with the rest of their recyclables [3]. Only 1% of plastic bags end up getting recycled in America. [2] Both inaccessibility to recycling and lack of public knowledge have led to an abundance of bags being redirected from recycling facilities to landfills.

 

Recognizing the environmental impact, some states and municipalities have discouraged plastic bag usage by implementing fees or taxes on single-use plastic bags. For example, California imposes a minimum 10-cent charge for each plastic carryout bag provided by retailers. [4] Similar laws exist in Hawaii, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, and others.

 

The idea behind these charges is simple: By making plastic bags more expensive, consumers will be incentivized to bring their own reusable bags instead. The fees collected can go towards environmental initiatives or efforts to provide reusable bags.

 

But do these fees really make a difference?

 

Initially, the amount of plastic bag waste collected during trash clean-ups reduced. However, the number of plastic bags collected during cleanups has remained relatively flat since 2016. [3] The graph below shows this trend, with a dip in 2021, likely an effect of COVID. The type of plastic was not categorized before 2012.

The efficacy of the tax hinges on consumer behavior and attitudes toward convenience. For many individuals, the convenience of plastic bags outweighs the nominal cost imposed by the tax. Thus, while the financial incentive may deter some from opting for plastic bags, many consumers remain willing to pay a modest fee in exchange for convenience.

Ultimately, plastic bags are just one part of a much larger problem: our society’s reliance on single-use plastics and the lack of proper recycling and waste management systems. While plastic bag charges may help raise awareness and encourage a shift in consumer habits, more comprehensive solutions are needed to address the root causes of plastic pollution. This could include greater investment in recycling infrastructure, incentives for businesses to adopt more sustainable packaging alternatives, and a broader cultural shift towards embracing a more circular economy – prioritizing reusing and repurposing materials rather than disposing of them after a single use.

Even as we strive for systemic changes, individual actions can still make a difference. By making conscious choices to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and seeking out environmentally friendly alternatives, we can collectively contribute to a more sustainable future. For instance, there is a way you can redirect some of your plastic bag waste here in Greenville. Some stores, such as Publix, accept plastic bags that they send to be processed at their facilities. So, if you forget your reusable bag, you can still clean your conscience. Contribute to the whopping 1% of plastic bags that really are recycled!

Sources:
[1] https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-plastics-in-the-ocean/
[2] https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data
[3] https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-08-24/whats-the-deal-with-single-use-plastic-bag-bans
[4] https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/plastics/carryoutbags