Sustainability
Sustainability is now on demand – but how many of us are actively practicing it?
We’ve heard the mantra before – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; now let’s add a new one in there. Rethink. We ought to Rethink before we’re even in the position of Reducing, Reusing, or Recycling – therefore I am claiming a Fourth R be stated ahead of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Clothing manufacturers and designers are under immense pressure to source their materials ethically and sustainably through reducing, reusing, or recycling materials – I mean who else owns a shirt made from plastic bottles?
While this practice is definitely a step in the right direction, there is a better way. Energy is still spent on producing that shirt, in addition to the energy already spent on producing those plastic bottles. Recycling materials might be great, but it’s only a band-aid against largest contributor to waste; the consumer. That’s us.
Consume consume consume. We are creatures of habit, and we habitually consume everything we can get our hands on, including ideas about sustainability where most people only stop at Recycling, the easiest and most achievable of the Three R’s.
It’s time to rethink how we live sustainably – and the order of the Three R’s is an important one not many people take heed of.
Buying shirts made from plastic bottles is cool, and makes you feel good, but it’s even cooler to not buy the shirt at all if you don’t need it. It’s great to buy a new jacket made from faux leather, but it’s even better to reuse an already made, worn, and still in good condition leather jacket from the op-shop. If all else fails, then recycle what you can – any single use glass or plastics, or any clothing fibers that can be saved.
Reduce first; and if that’s not an option, then reuse before finally recycling as the last resort – but above all, first rethink your actions and rethink that purchase of the shirt made from plastic bottles.
Ultimately, while many of us might not be able to commit entirely to reducing all kinds of use, we are able to make a significant impact by reusing items, electronics, clothing, and donating any still (re)usable items to second-hand stores.
Bonus content: Additionally, a rare FIFTH R has entered the game, and that’s to Repair anything that can be fixed to be used again.
