Stepping up and making a change
11/28/2021
Angel Arutura – Activist, Imperfect Environmentalist, Geography student, with a following of 42.9K believes fast fashion’s problems could be reduced if consumers “put in a wee bit more effort”.
There are some fast Fashion companies who are socially and environmentally conscious and are taking action, however most Fast fashion companies take advantage of the overwhelming desire consumers have of buying new clothes; and their entire business model is exploiting people and natural resources. Fast fashion brands operate this way because they want profit, and they are putting profit before people. So, it's about finding a way to reduce their profit margins and then the average consumer doesn't have to take that big of a hit. Consumers need to stand up and place pressure on brands by campaigning for them to become more ethical and sustainable; conscious collections aren’t enough!
Educate yourself
Make yourself aware how detrimental fast fashion can be to people and the planet. In 2019, the fashion sector produced 92 million tonnes of waste, relying upon landfill and incineration to dispose of excess garments. In addition, fashion accounts for 8-10% of global carbon emissions. We don’t think about the negatives when we buy new clothes, and therefore it’s vital to learn about fashion’s downfalls. Angel suggests watching simple documentaries or sourcing educational content on YouTube, books are another option. The more aware we are, the higher the probability of behavioural change.
Social Media
Follow influencers like Angel @angelarutura who strive to make change! Angel notes how sometimes a user can come across a small infographic telling them what happens when clothes are thrown away and something just ‘clicks’. It’s also all about getting a conversation started; you'll be surprised what can spark a change in the next person.
Moving forward
There is no denying that change has happened but clearly so much more needs to be done. Clear policy signals from government are needed to help bring forward investment projects when it comes to green energy and a stronger commitment to decarbonising our future. However, we can’t rely on our government and that’s why Angel believes if ordinary people can get involved in a direct-action group and demand that our government address the climate crisis seriously then we would see “a wee bit more change”.
