Fashion + Climate

The fashion industry accounts for approximately 10 percent of total annual global emissions making it one of the most polluting industries.1,2 Textile production alone produces 1.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) per year, which is more emissions than international flights and total shipping combined.3 Furthermore, limited recycling capacity of fibers has lead to almost 60% of all clothing produced to be thrown out within a year of production, amounting to the equivalent of one garbage truck full of discarded clothes going to a landfill every second.3 When it comes to resource use, the fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water each year, which is enough to meet the water consumption needs of five million people.4

*gasp*

Here at SALO we firmly believe in extending the life-cycle of well-made garments, promoting sustainability and reducing our fashion footprint. Every purchase keeps clothing waste out of landfills and keeps support away from fast fashion. 20% of all SALO profits will be donated to environmental charities that are currently working towards making the world a cleaner and better place:

The Sierra Club - sierraclub.org - a grassroots environmental organization in the United States dedicated to amplifying the power of 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world

Greenpeace - greenpeace.org - uses non-violent creative action to pave the way towards a greener, more peaceful world, and to confront the systems that threaten our environment

Why, as a medical professional, do I care about fast fashion waste, global emissions, and climate activism? 

To start, climate change is real and its effects are impacting us, our loved ones and our communities here and now in a multitude of ways. One of which is our health, both physical and mental. Burning fossil fuels has led to increased air pollutants that trap energy, which contributes to the increasing average global temperature. Increased global temperatures will lead to increased heat waves, and risk of wildfires and drought. Heat related illness contributes to thousands of deaths per year and disproportionately affects the elderly and children. Wildfires threaten livelihood and worsen air quality, which has been shown to have long term negative health impacts throughout the body. Droughts can threaten food and water security, cause forced migration and worsen regional conflict. Increased global temperatures and changes in weather patterns can allow the spread of vector borne and zoonotic diseases like malaria and Lyme Disease to new regions. Furthermore, all of these climate change induced health impacts can cause detrimental effects on mental health and well-being. Climate change serves as a global health threat multiplier that will overwhelm healthcare systems and disproportionally affect vulnerable populations thereby exacerbating existing socioeconomic disparities and hindering social and environmental justice. As a future healthcare provider, I can play a role in educating, advocating and voting for a cleaner future with less greenhouse gas emissions, more wind and solar energy and more collaboration between the health, climate and policy sectors of America to create a safer and more equitable place to live.

Read more about the impacts of climate change on human health here: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/WGIIAR5-Chap11_FINAL.pdf

 

References:
1. The price of fast fashion. Nature Clim Change (2018). 

2. UN Alliance aims to put fashion on path to sustainability, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (2018).

3. A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future. Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017).

4. How much do our wardrobes cost the environment. The World Bank (2019).