Advanced Search
January 21, 2020
Actress Jane Fonda wrapped up her weekly “Fire Drill Friday” protests in Washington D.C. on January 10th. The protests, which began in November, included multiple celebrities who purposefully got arrested in order to draw attention to the climate crisis. Each week of protests focused on a different theme, including forests, human health, oceans, and national security. While all of these issues deserve attention, perhaps the most radical action Fonda took happened near the beginning of Fire Drill Fridays: after purchasing the bright red coat that she would don for her weekly protests, she announced she would never buy another piece of clothing again.
Overconsumption of clothing has profound negative environmental impacts. The fashion industry produces 10 percent of anthropogenic carbon emissions and is responsible for over 10 percent of industrial water use each year, a figure which is projected to double by 2030. Clothing is rarely recycled and often discarded long before becoming unusable, resulting in $500 billion in lost value every year. Fabrics are often created from plastic, which sloughs off during each wash cycle and ends up in far-away places like the Marianas Trench. Toxic chemicals used in the dyeing process can also pollute waterways and be inadvertently ingested by those in contact with the clothing. Additionally, both fast fashion and designer labels are often manufactured in factories rife with human and labor rights abuses.
“Fast furniture,” children’s toys, and electronic goods are just a few of the other industries producing merchandise that is discarded after a short period of time, often by design. The highly disposable nature of these goods create unnecessary expense for individuals, who must continuously purchase replacements, and for society at large, which must reckon with the attendant greenhouse gas emissions, life cycle pollution, and landfill issues.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy development and enhanced energy efficiency remains a critical component of climate change solutions. However, limiting the purchase of products with short lifespans provides tremendous environmental and social benefits beyond emissions reductions. Jane Fonda's weekly climate advocacy was a remarkable feat of endurance, but the most important announcement she made during Fire Drill Fridays was one of her first: that she would no longer participate in wasteful clothing consumerism.
If you’re not a star like Jane Fonda, you will likely have to buy another article of clothing at some point. Luckily, there are some tricks you can use to lower your carbon and landfill footprint by purchasing fewer and higher-quality clothing items, which can also be extended to other consumer goods. These include:
Personal steps to reduce consumption are most powerful when paired with policy change to address the systemic level challenge of high-consumption and waste. So, while we proudly show off our thrift store steals, we can also look to our local, state, and federal governments to create an environment in which a circular economy can thrive.
Author: Amber Todoroff
Advancing science-based climate solutions
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity