In an era of climate deregulating legislation, it is up to us—everyday citizens—to take initiative. When thinking about being eco-friendly, shorter showers or recycling are usually what comes to mind, but there are far more impactful ways to take action: Buy less.
As a high school student, my generation in particular is victim to fast fashion: constantly changing clothing trends intertwined with a hunger to fit in creates a forever desire for more. Fast fashion waste accounts for 10% of all carbon emissions yearly.
Compounding this, our consumerist economy allows us to purchase something new with the click of a button, making it easy to avoid the behind the scenes: the trashed clothes being shipped to Ghanaian landfills, the black textile-polluted rivers of Bangladesh, or the garbage truck full of clothes being dumped into landfills every second.
However, the same consumer culture that creates this crisis gives us the power to disrupt it. The simplest way to take action is to consume less: Invest in durable, timeless pieces. When this is not possible, buy second-hand or thrift—actively redirecting items destined for the dump. Otherwise, invest in sustainable brands. The alternatives are endless, but they are all rooted in an active effort to be more conscious.
As a part of today’s youth, climate change directly affects my future. I’ve spoken about fast fashion at booths, hosted clothing recycling workshops, organized clothing drives, reaching 10,000+ people and recycling 500 textiles over the last year. Through my outreach, I have learned that people are simply unaware of the colossal environmental impact of fast fashion, especially as these brands intentionally manipulate audiences into buying their garments.
Orsola de Castro put it best: “The most sustainable garment is the one already in your closet.” Now, I implore you to take action: be conscious, stop consuming, and play a part in protecting our Earth.
Archita Khandelwal
American High School, Fremont
