One Small Step for Mankind, One Giant Leap for Our Environment

      The solutions set out by Fashioning Sustainability, a report informing readers on the environmental issues and solutions to these issues surrounding the apparel industry, can and will make a difference in today’s society if society in fact listens and acts accordingly. Simple, small and easy movements to become more sustainable stated in the reading such as recycling fibers, making educated decisions on washing and drying our clothes, and even just raising awareness to others will help our environment tremendously. The solutions set out by the Fashioning Sustainability article can bring about a significant amount of change. Any step towards becoming more sustainable is a step in the right direction. The first step is awareness and then solution finding. This article has both of these imperative elements that can and will change the apparel industry and even our world to bring about a more sustainable future. 

      When comparing the ESMA “promising solutions” to the solutions stated in the Fashioning Sustainability, the solutions in the ESMA are much more in depth and seem to have been researched a little further to ensure sustainability for our society. Those solutions in Fashioning Sustainability however, will help but are not as extensive as those set out in the ESMA. Though less extensive, the small steps in Fashioning Sustainability can turn into giant steps. Giant steps can then turn into a more sustainable world all together. Consumers just need to become more educated which is the prime object of this article. Once informed, the consumers can then make their own educated decisions on how to benefit our environment. The solutions outlined in both articles, no matter their strength, will help educate readers who will then in turn help our mother earth to see a better future.

      It was stated in the Fashioning Sustainability article as well as the ESMA article that our industry needs to become more transparent. To know company’s standards and motives and to be aware of those company’s standards is to become transparent. This way, consumers can make educated decisions on where to buy their clothes from and can even give them input on how to become a better, more environmentally just company. Becoming more educated on company’s standards is a way that consumers are becoming more aware and are able to change their actions to better our world.

      Increasing water efficiency is another solution Fashion Sustainability has provided that is also in sync with the goals of the ESMA. Because cotton, the most widely used fiber in the apparel world, is always thirsting for water, farmers growing cotton could use some insight on how to regulate and become more water efficient. Stated in the Fashioning Sustainability article, the Aral Sea in Asia is becoming eradicated because of insufficient use of water in cotton production. By investing in science and technology to help become more efficient with our water in agriculture, this is another way that the ESMA agrees we can become more resourceful. Once educated on how to become more water efficient, farmers can have much more sustainable cotton. Again, this is another easy step to be utilized to foresee a better future.
    
      Once societies across the globe become educated, their small and simple actions will prove to be giant for our environment. If everyone was to do their part one small bit at a time, our world would be insured to see a more positive future for it’s environment. Even by choosing to wear an organic t-shirt over a conventionally made t-shirt can make a world of difference.

      The article, Pricing Environmental Impacts: Tale of Two T-shirts, outlines the costs incurred when producing an organic t-shirt versus a conventionally made t-shirt. Cutting costs anywhere possible while making a t-shirt is a smart and sustainable idea. If it is more cost effective as well as better for the environment, why not? It seems silly, in my opinion, that anyone would think to do anything else. Though the total costs were not completely accurate due to complications and difficulty deciding what to take into account, the organic t-shirt was more cost effective. A few cents and dollars saved here and there can make a big difference. If more people thought to be cost effective in small doses, the world would be a much different, more sustainable place. Doing your part, one small step at a time, like wearing an organic t-shirt will make this challenge to become more sustainable less overwhelming and seem much more attainable. I believe some people do not do their part to become more sustainable because they do not think their small actions will do anything of importance to our environment. This is simply not true. Their small actions will go a long way; and, as stated before, if more people had this mind set, our world would be a better place. 

      Small steps everywhere can make a huge difference. Saving money in making an organic t-shirt and taking small steps to become more sustainable will prove to be more effective than we think if societies around the world will do their part. It does not matter the size of the action, as long as some action is being taken; our world will benefit no matter what. The three articles read this week support and appreciate the small steps that are being taken. I think we can all agree that one small step for mankind can be one giant leap for our environment.