Yet another oil spill, and I think everyone knows it’s terrible for the environment. But this is the worst oil spill for Russia in modern history. So bad that Russia has had to declare a state of emergency. It’s like the tragedies and disasters keep happening, one after the other. It’s like 2020 has had it out for us.
There’s been so much environmental and climate change activism, but that hasn’t stopped major accidents like this from happening. Every time we think that it couldn’t get any worse, we are proved wrong. Just to be clear about what happened, there was a leak of about 20,000 tonnes of diesel in a power plant, which proceeded to discharge into the Ambarnaya river. And guess what? The Ambarnaya flows right into the oh so fragile Arctic Ocean. As you read this, that river is flowing, and it will almost surely reach the Arctic Ocean. But there are thousands of other companies that cause similar damage to the environment. The problem is, the world can only consume one or two issues at a time. You can’t have more than two problems in the spotlight. For the world to see the damage being done to our environment, are we going to have to have more accidents like this? And when, if at all, will this come to an end? How are we going to stop huge companies from harming our environment? This oil spill is the icing on the cake to all the climate change problems we have been worrying about for the past few years. The power plant is owned by Norilsk Nickel, which produces metals like nickel and copper. The company is home to quite a few environmental disasters, like the leak of industrial waste causing a river in Siberia to turn red, and turning it into a dead zone “twice the size of Rhode Island”. Its plants have also belched tons of sulphur dioxide, a leading cause and component of acid rain. Norilsk Nickel is one of the world’s most polluting companies. This disaster is being compared to the likes of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, which is the worst oil spill ever, having caused the most damage to the environment. 37,000 metric tonnes of crude oil were spilled. Right now, these statistics don’t even leave me in awe. It’s almost routine for me to wake up to a new disaster everyday, and there isn’t anything being done about it. This decade itself, a grand total of 164,000 tonnes of oil were spilled. Just to put it in perspective, that’s about sixteen times as heavy as the Eiffel Tower. The question is not whether or not we have a problem at hand; the question is, what are we going to do about it? Environmentalists and activists must take this opportunity to demand reform. Not just for one country, or for one part of it, but the whole world. Let’s be clear, Russia isn’t the problem. They’re part of the problem, just like all the other countries. Industrialization is the real problem. Industries are the leading cause of environmental disasters and accidents, and it’s no surprise. Russia is currently warming at 2.5 times the rate of the whole world. They had the warmest December last year, and had to resort to fake snow! Even after all that, Russia is still doing much better than the United States in terms of beating climate change, having formally adopted the Paris climate accord. While we may think there’s nothing someone like you or me could do about anything like this sitting at home, it’s up to us, to our generation, to be creative and come up with new ways to fight all the new problems the world throws at us.
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How we’re losing the green component in our clothing A year ago if you’d asked me what fast fashion was, I would stare at you, dumbfounded. But then if you asked me, “Well don’t you know H&M?” I would have said yes, of course. It’s my favourite place to shop. Over the past year, I’ve learned that although their clothes are quite appealing, there are two problems: One, they are the opposite of being sustainable. They’re basically ruining the planet. Two, their clothes really aren’t that great. If you take a close look, most of their clothes are bad quality clothes and don’t ever last for more than a year. Clothing is a part of everyone’s life, whether you consider yourself a fashionable person or someone who would wear the same sweatpants every day if they could because they just couldn’t care less. If you’re like me, you fall somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. Everybody has their choices, but the one thing we can’t deny is that we have all bought a lot of clothing from brands like Uniqlo, Brandy Melville, or Zara. And we’ve never realized the effects these brands have on the planet. What is fast fashion? Brands like H&M are part of a concept called fast fashion, which focuses on bringing new styles to stores almost every week. They copy designs off the runway, created by high-end designers, the ones whose names you all know: Prada, Valentino, Gucci, Dior, Armani, and the list goes on and on. They produce it faster and with cheaper materials, which results in consumers getting brand name designs for slashed prices, keeping them happy. However, this also means that the quality of the clothing is sub-par, and we end up having to get rid of these clothes and buying new ones again. This gives companies like Zara and H&M more business as the cycle goes on and on. What issues are we facing? It’s bad for the environment.The problem is, these companies produce at the cost of the environment. They create chemical effluents and discharge them into rivers near their factories in countries like China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, to name a few. If you don’t live near a factory, this may mean nothing to you, but that growing pollution you see in your city? That increase in the number of cancer cases? One of the major contributors of those are companies like H&M and Brandy Melville. You may not be feeling it now, but you soon will. The production process is arguably even worse. They use underpaid, cheap labor, produced using tons of oil, and waste thousands of gallons of water. They also use chemicals and dyes which are unhealthy for the environment. The result of this kind of fast-paced production is that H&M releases new clothes and designs to stores almost every week. What happens when you throw these clothes away? Because they are produced using cheap inputs, fast fashion clothing items are disposed of very quickly. The quality is bad enough that you will need to discard the clothes after a very short life cycle. When you throw these clothes away, most of them end up in landfills. Most of these are synthetic and non-biodegradable. This problem is faced globally, and is increasingly becoming a major issue in many countries. This video explains the pitfalls of fast fashion and how to go about fixing it. The clothes that you donate end up in large processing plants. Because the fibres that these clothes are made of, more effort, machines, and processing have to go into making these clothes ready for reuse. Businesses that value quality are dying. Another problem that doesn’t occur to most is that luxury brands and brands that value quality, like Calvin Klein and Polo Ralph Lauren, are suffering because their business is being eaten away. Even smaller, local businesses like boutiques, tailors, and up-and-coming entrepreneurs are suffering. The whole fashion industry is being uprooted by a handful of fast fashion brands. Designers pour their hard work into making unique pieces of clothing, and invest even more in modeling and showcasing them, and then companies like Zara and H&M come and steal them off the runway. We get them for so much cheaper that we can’t turn the other cheek. This is why I assert that the fashion industry is also suffering. Consumers are beginning to value quality less and less, so the brands that once used to define fashion are running out of business, as well as creative entrepreneurs new to the game. But price is not the only determinant. Look at Lululemon. It’s a Vancouver-based athleisure company, and I still think their clothing is amazing. It’s soft, airy, and fashionable, but it’s also quite expensive. It isn’t necessarily categorized as a fast-fashion brand. A couple of years ago, they were pretty environmentally friendly, but over the years, their clothes have evolved and are made almost entirely of synthetic fibers, which are produced using oil. Oil, that was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico over a period of three months. Oil, which is causing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Oil, the fuel we will soon run out of if we don’t use it consciously, because there is a limited supply of it in the world. Lululemon does claim to be sustainable; they’re a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. But we know that they aren’t that green. What you can do instead. You can use one of the many alternatives. You can do the exact opposite of what fast fashion promotes: take it slow. Every time you buy a new piece of clothing, think. Do you really need this? Are you going to use it often? Is it worth your money? Is it ethical? And the golden rule of fashion, does it make you happy? Try buying fewer clothes. Whenever you go to buy something, try investing in better quality. If you’re not too interested in fashion and don’t want to burn a hole in your wallet, try altering your own clothes, buying from thrift stores, local shops based in your city (preferably not a chain), and even DIYing (Do-It-Yourself). This way, you’re contributing to the local economy and helping those around you grow! All is not lost. Look, we can’t expect ourselves to completely boycott fast fashion brands because most people can’t afford to only buy expensive designer clothing. But there is some hope. H&M has launched a Conscious line and are starting to worry about sustainability. Their website recently even added a ‘Sustainability’ page. Similarly, Lululemon advertises sustainability, and Zara has set a goal of offering “the most ethical and responsible products.” That said, I do think that fast fashion companies are starting to care about being ethical in their production process, as they should. After all, if the industry collapses, it will affect them too. If age-old brand names cannot produce any longer, then fast fashion companies will have less “inspiration” for new designs. The takeaway: We don’t know if fast fashion and sustainability can ever pair very well. But things are starting to look better for the environment. Although fast fashion and sustainability are near opposites, brands are trying to be more sustainable. As we’ve just seen, many of them have even started more conscious lines; clothes made with sustainability in mind. But what we can do now is try to choose better. When given the option, make the more sustainable choice. There are so many alternatives to the handful of multinational fashion brands that seem to have taken over the planet. All you have to do is look a little harder. In fact, there are so many alternatives that I could write a whole new post about it. There are alternative brands devoted to sustainability, there are local boutiques, there’s thrifting, there’s DIY. There are hundreds of other choices you could make. And you don’t have to be rich to make them. All you have to do is try. I’m coming up with a list of alternatives to fast fashion, but there are too many things to go over, so I will put it in a new post, coming soon! Stay tuned! Saving energy can sometimes be expensive or too much work. And as much as we all hate to admit it, these may stop us from doing our due diligence to protect the environment. So, here are some ways that you can save energy without getting a hole in your pocket or a broken back from installing a new filter in your shower.
Reuse, reuse, reuse. Especially plastics. I would tell you to say no to plastics, eliminate them from your life, but in today's day and age, that has become nearly impossible. So, every time you go to the grocery store, don't buy a new plastic bag. Take a reusable cloth bag from home. If you happen to forget, don't be too hard on yourself, just make sure you reuse that plastic bag. Maybe use it to line your dustbin. If you like plants or gardening, use plastic bottles as your containers for small plants. It makes your house look better, it's better for the environment, and it will probably make you happy. If you are a regular coffee drinker like most people, don't take the use and throw cup that Starbucks or your local coffee joint gives you. Invest in a tumbler or reusable cup. It's more portable and convenient, and you'll thank yourself later. This doesn't just apply to plastic cups. Yes, we hear plastics are bad all the time, but paper cups can be just as bad. You're cutting down so many trees, and increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Make sure that you don't overcharge your phone, laptop, tablet, or any other device you use. It sucks more energy out, and this goes nowhere. Your energy bill increases. Also, overcharging devices can affect their quality and longevity. Make sure that when you aren't using your computer, you put it in sleep or power-off mode, so that it uses less charge. This will make sure it lasts longer, and it won't lag as much. During the winter months, don't always turn to your space heater to keep you warm. Try layering your clothes with an extra sweater or jacket. It ultimately costs you less, and you've saved some more energy! Another tip is to open your curtains or blinds during the day to heat the room so at night it will be warmer. Think about switching out your incandescent light bulbs for CFL or LED ones. Incandescent light bulbs are light bulbs that have the filaments in them and heat those up to emit light. They're what you would first imagine if I said "light bulb". They are much less efficient and will run out sooner. LEDs are the most efficient, and they use about 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs. CFLs use 75% less energy. If you can afford to make the investment, you should. Remember to turn off the lights and heaters and fans before you leave the house or go to bed unless it's really necessary. A lot of the energy you waste is because you've left lights on even when you didn't need them, or you kept the fridge open for too long, or you've plugged in all of your devices even when they're all at 98% charge. More than anything, this causes a dent in your bill. Lastly, make the most of every appliance you use. Wash more clothes together. This saves water and the extra effort of doing another load. Same thing with the dishwasher. Make sure it is full or nearly there. Keep your fridge stocked. This maintains a cool temperature without having to use more energy. All of these are just some tips that may be quite useful. Try to follow them, and you've already made a huge impact! The one idea that will continue to be preached everywhere is that you should do every little deed you can. This can't be stressed enough. It doesn't matter what you do. What matters is that you do it.
Sustainability could be applied to virtually anything you use. Take water, for example. You use so much of it. You cook, clean, shower, brush your teeth, and wash your hands with it. So, naturally, a lot of water is going to be wasted, and our scarce stock of drinkable water will continue to deplete. You cannot fool yourself into thinking you won't waste any of it. Wastage is inevitable. But you can reduce the waste. You can take a minute or two less in the shower everyday. Every minute, the shower uses about 8 litres of water. You also probably don't have to be told this, but turn off the taps in your sink when you aren't using the water, even if it's just for a few seconds. It only takes a bit more effort. You can fix leaks. There is so much you could do. Just think about it every time you use water. You might even find ways to reuse it. Just like water, there are so many other forms of energy that you use everyday, and you probably waste a lot of those too. Think of your. daily routine, and how it includes electricity, fuels like petrol for your car or the gas you use for cooking, plastics, paper, and glass products. The bottom line is that once you have put your mind to it, you will find yourself being more creative and thoughtful in your approach to sustainability, and you will feel good. Really, why should you be more sustainable? How does it help you, personally? Why should you go out of your way to make inconvenient, expensive choices? Well, for starters, being sustainable doesn't have to be expensive or inconvenient. Choosing to save energy does not hurt you in any way. Sometimes, it can even make your life easier.
Work towards being more conscious about your energy choices; use more efficient forms of energy, and do every little thing you can to conserve our limited resources. It doesn't matter if it's something as small as turning off the tap while you brush, or buying solar batteries. It is important that you make the right choices, even if they seem like insignificant ones. If sustainability is a passion for you, then you can guide the people close to you into being more sustainable. Suddenly, that's five, or even ten, more people working together for our planet. Never think that your impact is too small. With the world bursting up in flames, it is up to each one of us to realize how much we can influence the future. No one can force you to be more sustainable, it is something you choose for yourself. If going green doesn't cost you too much and doesn't disrupt your life significantly, why not do it? |
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