Hey there,
It’s Earth Day!
54 years ago, on this exact day, 20 million Americans had in a broad new movement to protect the planet gathered to protest environmental ignorance. It’s the world’s first Earth Day that launched the modern environment movement.
Now, Earth Day is recognised as the world’s largest civic event, every year!
This year’s theme is Planet vs. Plastics, focused on “calling for the end of plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040, and an ultimate goal of building a plastic-free future for generations to come”.
Plastics aren’t only an imminent environmental issue; in fact, they severely threaten human health. When they break down into microplastics, they release toxic chemicals into our food and water sources and circulate through the air we breathe. And plastic production, contrary to what we might think, isn’t slowing down. According to Earth Day, “more plastic has been produced in the last ten years than in the entire 20th century, and the industry plans to grow explosively for the indefinite future.”
🌳 Resources used in and the consequences of producing books & clothes 🚨
According to Commercial Waste, publishers across the world cut down an average of 3.4 billion trees every decade, to produce manuscripts and books 😨 Production also requires water in tremendous amounts, and produces massive amounts of toxic greenhouse gases.
Likewise, the fashion/textile industry is a top source of carbon emissions, according to European Environment Agency. It’s also guilty of using about 79 billion litres of water annually. And fast fashion uses and produces vast quantities of plastic, that can’t disappear. It’s approximately 85% of garments that end up in landfills or incinerators, and only 1% that is recycled (Earth Day). At present clothes made of more than two fibres can’t be recycled (The Business Times).
What can we do?!
As publishers work towards publishing sustainably (an example is Penguin), readers buying secondhand also helps!
Same goes of course, when shopping for clothes, we can do so consciously and responsibly.
How you have helped
BONUS! Tips to take care of your books and clothes!
So they last longer 🥰
To keep the books you own in shape, here’s a list of tips from New York Public Library:
- Keep books away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight.
- Keep bookshelves away from the exterior walls of your house.
- Clean books regularly by dusting, by holding books closed and wiping covers and edges with a plain soft cloth.
- Shelve books upright, and support them with bookends so they don’t slump. If books are oversized, store them flat.
- When taking books from shelves, don’t pull on the tops of the spines! This can break or detach spines over time. Instead, grasp middles of spines of books to remove them from shelves.
- Use acid-free paper bookmarks, so they don’t leave a residue.
To care for clothes you own, here’s a list of tips from Earth Day:
- Wash clothes with cold water, and on shorter cycles, to avoid breaking down of dyes and shrinkage.
- Wash clothes inside out to keep colour from fading.
- Drip dry so clothes don’t suffer from wear and tear in the dryer.
- Hang clothes on wooden hangers, so as not to misshape shoulders.
- Fold heavy pieces of clothes on shelves to prevent stretching.
- If storing clothes, do so in a clean, dry environment with proper aeration, away from direct sunlight.
Write us!
Let us know if you’ve got extra tips to share!
Let’s keep doing what we can for our planet, and continue to shop secondhand! 🌎🌿
Sincerely,
Thryft