20 pledges: Why I'm changing my spending habits to help save the planet
I have been toying with the idea of giving up new clothes and only going for charity or vintage shop options for some time in order to reduce my carbon footprint.
When I heard about the 20 Pledges for 2020 idea, I decided to go for it - and to try something even more challenging. Yes, I want to drastically reduce the amount of clothes I purchase but I also want to consume less in general. So I will stop mindlessly buying more and more stuff and avoid buying anything new - from shoes and bags to homewares and electronics.
It feels like a lifetime ago now, but the emergence of online shopping transformed my consumer habits and before I knew it, I was buying more than I used to and without thinking.
With my pledge to consume less, I will not just forgo convenience of next day delivery from a particular fashion app on my phone, I will reconsider all of my shopping habits.
Considering the environmental and ethical impact of the level of modern day production and supply chains, the waste created from the process and from used and unwanted items, I want to test ways in which I can avoid buying.
Sustainability is a broad term and I find myself getting increasingly anxious thinking about how everything I do and consume may impact the planet. There’s so much I still don’t know, but I aim to learn.
The ethics of production is another reason why I want to think about my choices. Most people have known about child labour in factories for decades. After learning about it, as a small form of personal protest I have refused to own anything Nike since I was a teenager. The factory fire in Bangladesh again brought the horrifying conditions of garment workers to light, however the conditions in factories- as well as our consumer habits - to a large extent, remain unchanged.
In terms of the environmental impact of fashion and production, the argument is clear cut: produce less; waste less. However, aside from the conditions and pay of workers, I find the ethics a bit more complicated. Businesses provide livelihoods for millions of people around the world, so what impact would a decline have on these communities? I will also try to explore these sorts of contradictions (if that is what they are).
I know it will not be easy as I can already anticipate challenges such as buying (and receiving) gifts, socks and underwear, home renovation, cosmetics and many others, but I will try my best.
