Sustainable Clothing

This week I read an article entitled “Clothes Makers Join to Set Green Score” by Tom Zeller. The article discusses a database that is being compiled by a group known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. When complete, the database will include information on various clothing manufacturers and how sustainable their products are. The tool will include information on all of the components and processes of the clothing manufacturing procedure. Eventually, the group hopes to develop a label for garments that will inform consumers of its sustainability grade. Backing the project are large companies like Wal-Mart, H&M and Hanes Brands in addition to brands that are already concerned with their environmental impacts like Patagonia and Timberland. These companies will work alongside some of the Coalition’s other founding members, which include Duke University, the Environmental Defense Fund and the EPA. The Coalition is hoping to bring more accountability into the market. Last year, 340 billion American dollars were spent on apparel and 99% of it came from foreign countries, most of which have few restrictions as to how much impact they can have on the environment. This device will help to better educate consumers on where their money is going and help them to make smarter choices about the products they choose to buy. The most interesting thing to me about the article was a link that appeared at the very beginning to a Google Maps image of a river in China that is located in a city where many of the world’s blue jeans are produced (I attached the link here). The river has been dyed blue and if you follow the stream up the river it will eventually take you directly to the factories that are producing the denim. I think that this one image shows just how important it is for people to switch to more sustainable practices in all aspects of our lives.
This week I decided to ride the stationary bike in the fitness center because my only free time was at night. I rode for an hour and enjoyed it, but it was different from riding outside because there was not much to look at other than the television. Riding outside is more interesting because there is more going on. I think that next week I will try to get outside to walk or ride.