March 04, 2021Sustainability News & Stories

Some good green news and stories to light up your day

All over the world, we all are doing our best in our own way to make better choices and take greener steps. There are so many ways you can be more sustainable so, in our continuing effort, it’s always nice to hear that we aren’t alone in that fight and that other people, companies, organisations, and governments, are taking their own strides.

Here are some stories that will brighten up your day with hope for a greener future...

Some slow fashion news…

1.In the past year, in our Covid-19 world, the general public’s interest in sustainable or slow fashion has risen to an all-time high, particularly the demand for pre-loved/secondhand clothing has become a booming business. It’s no secret that our fashion industry as it currently exists produces and manufactures at a rate that is incredibly harmful. According to this article, “globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year and the equivalent to a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second”. Many have started recognising how harmfully impactful this is so, how do we lower that number? By making use of what we already have!

2.If you’re a slow fashion enthusiast, you more likely than not have heard of the collapse of Rana Plaza that took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The venue hosted a number of factories that produced clothing for brands such as Zara and Walmart, and in 2013, more than a thousand of labourers were killed and another 2000 injured in the event. It was a tragedy and propelled much needed discussions on the ethicacy of fast fashion labour systems with many demanding changes - most notably, Fashion Revolution was founded due to it occurring. Seven years later, progress has been made in creating safer environments and protecting workers though there is still more that needs to be done. But in some good news, most recently, brands such as H&M and Target have joined forces under an initiative created by Global Fashion Agenda to introduce “an ambitious recycling system in the country [Bangladesh]” and bring a much needed green mindset to their fashion production.

3.Innovations and rethinking our current systems are how we will make big changes in our industry. There are some incredible sustainable materials already created that serve as alternatives to our conventional cottons and synthetic fibres - materials like vegan wool and cactus leather that were made while considering its full lifecycle, intending for it to be positively impactful from beginning creation to end use. Here, Suzanne Lee discusses biofabrication and the potential future for fashion and fabric that is completely naturally grown.

Watch the full TED talk here: Why "biofabrication" is the next industrial revolution | Suzanne Lee

Some general sustainability news…

1.Being the most populated country in the world with still much development to achieve, It’s a nice surprise to find that India is actually taking great strides in creating better climate policy! To put it in perspective, in India, 65% of energy creation is dependent on coal and we contribute significantly to the rise of carbon emissions, however, the nation is on track in achieving two key commitments to the Paris Agreement, that being: “to increase the share of power-generation capacity that doesn’t use fossil fuels to 40 percent by 2030; today, generation capacity from renewable, hydroelectric, and nuclear sources already reaches 38 percent, putting India on track to comfortably exceed its target. The other commitment is to reduce carbon emissions by 33 to 35 percent (from 2005 levels) by 2030. Today, India looks likely to reduce emissions by as much as 45 percent by 2030, far surpassing its Paris target.”

2.The need for conscious mindsets is at its peak and many people have recognised how their daily actions are a great start in combating the effects of climate change. Around 26% of global carbon emissions come from food production with meat and dairy producing the most in comparison to plants, a fact that has led many to make the switch to more plant-based diets and led to a wonderful achievement in January. Earlier this year, a record half a million people took part a British NGO’s 31-day Veganuary challenge that was supported by many supermarkets in the UK to encourage sign-ups, which is a great sign that this sustainable step is being embraced by the mainstream.

3.Indigenous cultures all around the world have a deep connection to their environment around them, opting to carry out their daily lives staying close to those connections and treasuring what it provides for them. We can all learn a lot from their habits in order to walk towards a healthier planet. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim explains the green good they do and how to use that knowledge in the future.

Watch the full TED talk here: Indigenous knowledge meets science to take on climate change | Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim

Some animal news…

1.Early human spread of coronavirus began in Wuhan, China’s wet market, and because of this occurrence, the global wildlife trade came under heavy scrutiny. “The scale of the live wild animal trade in China is unclear, experts say. Many animals are poached, imported, and exported illegally—for food, medicine, trophies, and pets” and this includes endangered species being put at risk, which can also threaten our planet’s ecosystems. It’s no surprise the spread of Covid-19 sparked discussion and public outrage that called for a change, and thankfully these cries led to the Chinese government issuing a decision in February 2020 that has laid the groundwork to criminalise use of wildlife as food.

2.The Tasmanian devil has struggled to survive for thousands of years. Their presence on mainland Australia completely disappeared 3000 years ago, most likely due to hunting, and were restricted to the small island state of Tasmania where they experienced the spread of a contagious, deadly cancer, decreasing their population further to 25,000 in the 1990s. However, in March of 2020, two dozen of these creatures were finally reintroduced to mainland Australia where “Scientists hope the scrappy predators' reintroduction can balance ecosystems ravaged by invasive species.”

3.There’s so much we can achieve by trusting and working with nature and all its creatures. Dogs have been much-loved pets/companions/best friends for as long as we can remember, known for their loyalty and unconditional love. In Megan Parker’s TED talk, she talks about her work in training “bad” dogs to capture poachers, detect noxious weeds, and more.

Watch the full TED talk here: Dogs for Conservation | Megan Parker | TEDxJacksonHole

There’s a lot of great green accomplishments happening all over the world. Let us know if there’s a story you particularly loved or would like to let us know about and as always, stay green!

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