It seems like ever since the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”, the buzz around the country has been all about “green living”. “Green this”, “organic that” - even the previously unglamorous term “sustainable” has hit the mainstream.The word “organic” simply means that a fruit or plant had no pesticides applied while grown and harvested. Farmers instead use other, more eco-friendly means to ward off potentially invasive and destructive insects.
At first, the organic craze was with food. Organic foods have been making their presence felt in recent years at such mainstream supermarkets as Publix and Shaw’s.
But in case you haven’t heard, the latest buzz is all about organic clothing. For more progressive individuals, this sudden attention is considered long overdue. For the rest of us, the idea of organic clothing may seem downright radical.
Recently, in response to the launch of my new online green boutique, bohmo.com, a family member jokingly asked if my clothing was “free-range” in addition to being organic. Of course my sarcastic reply was “Yeah, my shirt grew up in a wide-open field of waving grass, while yours was mercilessly confined to a cage…”.
Funny thing is, if I told him that I was going to sell “chemical” clothing, with about 18 teaspoons of cancer causing pesticides and insecticides in each tee, he likely would have given me a similar snicker. Little does he know, however, that what we all buy on a regular basis is just that – filled with pesticides (source: National Wildlife Federation).
For one reason or another, there is a disconnect that occurs in many of us – we want to believe that everything is fine just the way it is, and that people who want to change things are just out-of-step. But in the case of organic goods, the movement isn’t really to something radical. It is to attain what most of us already think our clothing and foods are. And what’s so radical about that?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So how does one make smart purchases without having to devote hours a day to discovering new options? Read our simple tips list below to get started.
Find a retailer you can trust
Much of the success of stores like Whole Foods is that their consumers trust that they did their homework and will only sell products from companies with sound business practices.
Buy Organic
Wearing clothing produced with chemicals and eating food produced with pesticides has a similar negative impact on our health and environment. 1/4th of all pesticides applied in the US are on cotton. (source: Sustainable Cotton Project) Conventional cotton (with chemicals) represents 99.9% of the world's cotton supply, but with your help, this can change. (source: National Wildlife Federation)
Buy Sustainable
Buying goods manufactured from sustainable materials positively impacts the environment for many reasons. Bamboo, for example, matures in just 3-7 years, compared to oak which takes about 120 years. It also does not need replanting and requires very little fertilization and pesticides.
Buy Fair Trade
Support companies that provide fair wages to their employees. Poverty, in any and all locations of the world, takes an environmental toll – not to mention the negative impact on humanity.
Reduce
Reduce the consumption of resources in all aspects of your life. In terms of clothing, consider focusing in on the items you truly love and will wear repeatedly for years to come. This concept applies to other material purchases as well: knick-knacks, picture frames, toys, etc are all items which we all could purchase more selectively.
Recycle
Not only can you recycle your own personal goods, but now you can purchase products made of recycled materials. Buying items made of recycled goods reduces the manufacture of new, virgin materials.
Reuse
Think twice before throwing out items you no longer have a use for. Take the extra step to bring unwanted items to your local thrift store, a friend, family member or neighbor. Also, consider buying reused goods instead of items that have been manufactured from conventionally produced virgin materials.
For more tips and info on green living, visit http://www.bohmo.com/begreen
