Check the tag on the back of your shirt. More likely than not, it will say Made in China, or if you are the kind of consumer who cares about supporting local business, maybe you will see Made in America. But don’t pat yourself on the back just yet, because those words may not carry that much weight.
Zady, an online retailer that targets conscious consumers, is launching a movement to establish a “Sourced In” tag for clothing brands sold in U.S.
“Transparency is the first step to taking responsibility,” Maxine Bedat, the cofounder of Zady, says in an email interview about her “We the People” petition to the White House. “What we can achieve if we band together is higher quality product, the lowest environmental impact, and clothing that we actually want to wear not just today but for years to come.”
Currently, companies can get away with claiming a product was made domestically even if only the final touches were done on U.S. soil. Zady and its partners — which include everyone from environmentalists and industry insiders to everyday people who support the revival of domestic manufacturing — believe the government must set a new standard. They are calling for new standards for clothing tags that would disclose which countries were involved in every step of the supply chain, from the farm to the factory.
Globalization blurs the lines of the already confusing Federal Trade Commission rules that govern what can be considered “Made in America.” The Zady petition plainly states that since the supply chain of supposedly American apparel happens in a range of countries not spelled out on our clothing tags, “the current mandate from the Federal Trade Commission to label products with ‘the country of origin’ simply will not do.”
In the 1960s, 95 percent of clothing worn in the U.S. was, in fact, made in America, but that number now stands at less than 5 percent. Bedat explains that those statistics, combined with eye-opening figures about industrial water pollution from the textile industry to chemicals in our clothing, make now the time to provide consumers with greater trust and confidence.
“As representatives of the U.S. consumer, the government needs to play its part and step in and regulate,” Bedat says, adding that the private sector (in particular, the fashion industry) must take responsibility for the consequences of their dirty supply chains. “Nonprofits can serve as watchdog groups shining light on the abuses in the industry. And finally all of us, as consumers can vote with our dollars for the values we believe in.”
Editors’ note: Maxine Bedat is a NationSwell Council member.
Tag: Preserving the Environment
37 Ways to Shrink Your Use of Plastic
Plastic has an undoubtedly convenient but worrying presence in our lives. Everyday items such as wrappers, bottles and even chewing gum (yes, it’s made of plastic!) are thrown away without much thought. In fact, Americans discard 14.4 million tons of plastic a year, and only 13 percent of it is recycled.
This leads to a devastating problem, as the chemicals in plastics have been known to have adverse effects on our bodies as well as the planet. It’s gotten so bad that in the Pacific Ocean a plastic island has formed that’s twice the size of Texas — leaching chemicals, harming marine life and destroying ecosystems. However, you can help curb the impact of this environmentally hazardous material by implementing the following practices:
1. Give up buying beverages that come in plastic bottles. About 2.4 million tons of this plastic — known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — is discarded annually, with 75 percent going straight to the landfill. Invest in a stainless- steel bottle or opt for soda or other beverages that come in glass bottles or paper cartons.
2. Stop using disposable cups. From Styrofoam to Solo cups to plastic-lined paper cups, these beverage holders have a lifespan of about half an hour. This is why you should make it a habit of bringing your thermos or tumbler every time you hit the coffee shop or a fast food restaurant.
3. And since you’re now going to use your own beverage container, you can also ditch those single-use straws, stirrers and lids.
4. If the coffee shop uses plastic cups or cutlery but doesn’t have a recycling bin, take these items home with you and recycle them yourself.
5. Repurpose the plastic that you already have. Cups and yogurt tubs make great planters, and bags can be woven into baskets or mats. The tops of water bottles can be sliced off to make awesome seals for bags of food.
6. Skip the freezer section. While TV dinners may be convenient, they tend to come wrapped in excessive packaging.
7. Choose loose fruits and vegetables instead of bagged produce, such as carrots, apples and lemons. By doing so you avoid using plastic and it allows you to buy only what you need, so there’s less food that could spoil and go to waste. Even better? You might save money, too.
8. Fill up on grains, cereals, nuts and other kitchen staples at the bulk bin. Be sure to bring your own bags or containers from home when purchasing these items.
9. Shop local. Frequent farmers’ markets for fresh produce and eggs, bakeries for bread and butchers for meats since they often use less packaging to wrap items.
10. Later on, return all your plastics — baskets, containers and jars — to the farmers’ market vendors for reuse. (They’re bound to appreciate your action.)
11. You probably know this already, but it bears repeating: Say no to plastic bags. Why is it so important to take your reusable tote (preferably made of canvas, cotton or hemp, not vinyl or polyester) each time you head to the supermarket? It takes 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture the 102 billion plastic bags that Americans use annually,according to the United Nations. So keep several reusables in your car or handbag, and if you must use a plastic bag, remember to recycle it later on. It’s easy to do, since many grocery stores have their own bag-collection bins.
12. Try growing your own food at home. Salad vegetables and herbs are really easy to grow in the garden, a hanging basket or on a windowsill. By doing so, you avoid buying produce that comes in plastic packaging.
13. Buy detergent that comes in cardboard boxes instead of plastic containers. Better yet, pop in a few soap nuts (a magical dried berry that works as an all-natural cleaner). Or if you like to DIY, try this homemade three-ingredient laundry detergent.
14. Clean your home with all-natural ingredients that you might find in your kitchen — baking soda, lemons, vinegar — rather than buying bottles of toilet cleaner and bleach.
15. At the dry cleaners, bring your own garment bag for pickups or ask for your clothes to be returned free of plastic wrap.
16. Line your garbage bins with paper bags or biodegradable trash bags instead of buying plastic trash bags. Earn extra eco-points by starting a compost heap for your organic waste.
17. For condiments such as ketchup, mustard and salad dressing, choose varieties that come in glass jars instead of squeeze bottles.
18. Swap your synthetic sponge for a cotton washcloth or try doing your dishes with one of the cellulose varieties, which are made of wood fiber.
19. For parties or at work, avoid using disposable cups and plastic utensils. Use real silverware and cups and wash them later or purchase compostable ones.
20. Stick to wines that have cork stoppers instead of synthetic stoppers, since the natural material is completely biodegradable.
21. Place a lid or a plate on top of leftovers instead of reaching for plastic wrap. Mason jars or ceramic containers are also a great alternative to Tupperware and Ziploc baggies.
22. Wrap food in aluminum foil or try beeswax-coated food wraps that can be used repeatedly.
23. Reuse the bags that hold baked goods like bread for cleaning up after your dog.
24. Swear off single-use coffee pods. We know they are convenient, but if you care about the planet, an old-fashioned coffee machine with a reusable filter works just as well.
25. Wear natural, organic textiles instead of synthetic ones such as nylon, acrylic or polyester. Did you know that in an average wash, 1,900 fibers come off a single synthetic article of clothing and that this is one of the most common types of plastic pollution in our oceans?
26. Try to use soaps, lotions and shampoos that come in solid bars instead of liquid form in a bottle.
27. Avoid cosmetic products with microbeads (which might be included in the ingredients list as polyethylene or polypropylene). These tiny plastic beads are causing big environmental problems in our Great Lakes.
28. For hair care, skin care and other beauty products, find varieties that come in glass or metal containers. Believe it or not, but there are even plastic-free options for products such as mascara and deodorant, which seem to only come in plastic tubes.
29. Use paper tape instead of Scotch tape when mailing large items.
30. Buy cloth diapers instead of disposable ones. They might be messier, but they create much less waste compared with disposables, which don’t decompose and amount to a stunning 4 million tons of landfill waste per year.
31. Unload old electronics in a responsible manner. A large portion of plastic waste comes from discarded televisions, fax machines, keyboards, cell phones and other tech gear. According to the EPA, 37 million tons of electronic waste was tossed in 2009 (an amount that’s surely increased since then). You don’t need the latest smartphone if the one you have works perfectly well. And if your device is acting a little wonky, try repairing it. Take electronics that are no longer functioning to e-waste facilities that can dispose of them.
32. For difficult-to-recycle plastics (toothbrushes, cigarette butts, food wraps, beauty products, etc.) that are usually landfill-bound, check out TerraCycle. You’ll be surprised what items this innovative company repurposes.
33. Use matches or invest in refillable metal lighters such as Zippo instead of disposable ones that aren’t recyclable.
34. Shave with razors that have replaceable blades, not whole disposable ones. Or consider using a safety razor that you can simply sharpen.
35. Be mindful of the material used in toys. Plastic varieties might contain BPAs, phthalates and other harmful chemicals that could harm young children and pets. For kids, choose wood or cloth-based toys, and for pets, buy catnip for cats and squeaky stuffed animals or large ropes for dogs.
36. Burn candles (soy or beeswax, not paraffin) or incense, instead of buying air fresheners in plastic holders.
37. Lastly, learn how to correctly recycle plastic. Get familiar with the triangle-shaped recycling symbol on the bottom of most bottles and containers. As we previously reported, most recycling centers will collect Nos. 1, 2 and 5 plastics such as water bottles and Tupperware. Plastics that are Nos. 3, 4 and 6, like disposable cups and vinyl shower curtains, are moderately recyclable. This leaves plastic No. 7, which is nearly impossible to recycle because it’s made of a combination of all types of plastic (which means you should avoid using it if possible).
These 3 Schools Are Earning an A in ‘Green’
Located on college campuses nation are are dorms, academic buildings, dining halls and a student union. And now, as Americans develop a green conscience, universities and millennials are jumping into the fray by practicing sustainable agriculture right on campus.
While numerous colleges across the country have community gardens, here are some of the standouts.
Pomona College Organic Farm
The long growing season in California makes it the perfect place for a campus garden. At the Pomona College Organic Farm, land is used for class as well as business. Started in 2005, the farm is part of the college’s Environmental Analysis program.
As part of the curriculum, students have the opportunity to not only maintain the plots, but also test real soil for soil sciences courses. Further, students use the farm as a tool when writing theses in areas such as politics, environmental science and science. On the business end, students operate a bi-weekly farms stand where the food is sold to those in the area.
Naira de Gracia is a recent graduate of the college and local farm manager.
“That’s the whole point of the farm; to invent and innovate and experiment,” de Grazia tells Sustainable Cities Collective. “I’m always discovering new alums who have done something awesome, who say they only were able to do this because of the farm.”
Central Carolina Community College Land Lab
The entrepreneurial-focused Sustainable Agriculture program educates students how to be financially and ecologically savvy in starting and operating a farm. The farm functions as a tool for biology courses as well, and after graduation, many students start their own farms.
An added benefit of having the Land Lab at Central Carolina Community College on campus is that the produce is used in the school’s culinary program.
Rutgers University Student Sustainable Farm
Located in New Jersey is the “nation’s largest organic farm managed by students.” The university’s Student Sustainable Farm is a self-sustained CSA program that is completely run by the student body. Each year, four to six student interns manage the operation with the assistance of faculty farm advisor Dr. Ed Durner from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The food produced by the farm is given to the shareholders and donated to local organizations who donate it to the needy in the area.
To learn more about collegiate sustainable farms, click here.
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The Website Helping Millennials Cast a Vote for the Earth
As the midterm election nears, political groups are ramping up efforts to get the vote out — specifically among the youth. Among them is a group of Stanford University students, artists, filmmakers and coders who are driving one simple message to voters born between 1981 and 1996: “You have power.”
Hack the Election, designed by the ad agency Odysseus Arms, the Environmental Defense Fund and a group of Stanford students, cross-references an IP address with candidates on a user’s local ballot to discern who is supporting clean energy. The site highlights President Barack Obama’s clean power plan, which will entail the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposing limits on how much carbon dioxide (CO2) companies may produce, which can include up to 44 percent of CO2 released in the United States.
“People say they don’t vote because they don’t know who to vote for? But you’ve got the name,” the site reads, after providing name(s) of candidates who are supporting environmental policy. In order to receive the correct information, a user must be in his or her home district.
Politicians are eager to turn out the millennial population for the midterm election, but a recent Harvard University public opinion poll indicated that the number of millennials planning to vote in this election has dropped, with less than 25 percent who said they would “definitely be voting.”
Still, millennials are incredibly supportive of environmental movement. Earlier this year, a Pew Research Center poll found that people under 30 are more inclined to back alternative energy sources, while another Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll found that 85 percent of millennials said they supported the clean power plan.
“We call this stuff that we do one-click activism,” says Franklin Tipton, co-developer for Hack the Election. “It’s not that people are lazy; it’s just how the world works.”
The site is just one of the many efforts to entice millennial voters through an environmental lens, which includes Patagonia’s “Vote the Environment” campaign, an initiative that encourages artists to design environmental posters and screenprints, raising money for both the artist and voting advocacy group HeadCount. The outfitter is also featuring voter information as well as candidates who support environmental polices on its site.
MORE: Watch: How Rock the Vote Is Reaching Millennials
The Group Pedaling to a Cleaner Earth
What would you think if saw someone riding a bike with a bunch of garbage bins attached to it?
For residents in Austin, Texas, this site isn’t uncommon. That’s because since December 2012, the East Side Compost Pedallers (ESCP) have been riding around, collecting trash to be composted by local urban farms, schools and community gardens.
“Scrapple” is how the cyclists affectionately refer to the compostable food waste which they collect. Currently, the group is comprised of seven bikers who serve residences in east Austin and neighborhoods by the University of Texas, as well as local businesses such as DropBox and small cafes.
Cyclists are equipped with custom-built, heavy-duty Metrofiet cargo bikes that can carry 55 gallon barrels totaling 250 pounds each. They also have the option of riding retro-filled pedicabs, which can carry barrels weighing 800 pounds each.
The for-profit organization charges for its services: For residences, it’s $4 per week, while the cost varies for businesses depending upon their size and the amount of bins required.
Over the past two years, ESCP has seen a growing client base and massive results. Among its achievements, the group can boast that it has redirected more than 190,000 pounds of scrapple from landfills, produced 50,000 pounds of compost, reduced the costs of composting by $5,000 for farmer patrons and stopped the emission of about 30 tons of methane, according to Good.
Their clients have also noticed how beneficial the service has been, too. Composting for the past 27 years, the East Side Café started using ESCP six months ago. So far, the café has redirected 7,155 pounds of waste and prevented more than a ton of methane emissions.
Perhaps the most defining feature of the group, though, is their drive to improve the environment and the community.
“East Side Compost Peddallers are pioneering the compost movement in Austin,” Elaine Martin, Eastside Cafe’s chef and owner, tells Good. “They’re out there pedaling every day, and you can tell they’re passionate about what they’re doing and want to make our community a better place to live. It’s great to work with people who care about your neighborhood as much as you do.”
And with that, keep pedalling, please.
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Going Solar Is Cheaper Than Ever. Here’s What You Need to Know About Getting Your Power From the Sun
Thanks to solar panels being more affordable than ever, tax breaks and incentives, home solar systems have hit the mainstream. In fact, one is installed every 3.2 minutes — bringing the number of homes and businesses in the United States powered by the sun’s rays to more than 500,000. So are you ready to tap this eco-friendly form of energy? Here is everything under the sun to know about solar panels.
The possibilities aren’t endless.
In an ideal world, everyone would have solar-powered homes. But solar panels are only available to property owners. (Apartment dwellers, you’re out of luck.) The good news, however, is that photovoltaics (the scientific word for panels that generate electricity from sunlight) can be mounted to just about any type of roof, from slanted to flat, and just about any material — metal, gravel, composite, wood, clay or slate. Since solar panels can last for more than 30 years, the roof must be in good condition, so any cracks or leaks must be repaired prior to installation.
The general rule of thumb is that you’ll need about 100 square feet of unobstructed, shade-free roof space for every kilowatt (kW) generated. For example, a medium-sized 4kW solar system requires roughly 400 square feet. Objects such as trees, chimneys or other buildings can significantly reduce the performance of a solar system, and since you want the panels to absorb as much sunlight as possible, the ideal solar array should face south; eastern or western orientations will also work, but might not be as efficient.
Think power, not panels.
When considering the size of your solar system, it seems logical to inquire about how many panels you will need. But instead, ask yourself, “How much energy do I want to generate?” The average American home uses 903kWh (kilowatt hours) of energy per month (or 32.25kWh per day), according to The Week. Running a 5kW solar system between six and seven hours each day could meet that energy demand. To get an idea of the appropriate system size for your household, check your most recent energy bill to see how much electricity (kWh) you have consumed. Then use this simple solar calculator to roughly estimate how many kilowatts of panels you’ll need to fit your energy requirements.
Your neighbors don’t have to like it.
But you must check with your local government, utility company and, if necessary, homeowners association to see if you can actually put panels on your roof. In some instances, a solar array might need to be arranged a certain way or it could be considered a fire hazard. (Click here to find out your state’s building codes and standards.) If panels aren’t an option for you, there are several other ways to capture the sun’s rays — personal solar chargers, solar pathway lights or buying solar power from your utility are just a few of the possibilities.
You won’t go bankrupt.
It’s cheaper than ever to live off the energy of the sun. Based on trends, the average cost of solar panels has dropped from $76.67 per watt in 1977 to about $0.613 per watt today, CleanTechnica writes. That’s even less than the cost of retail electricity in most cases. Based upon that price, a 5kW system should only set you back around $3,000. However, it’s likely that you’ll end up paying $18,000 to $40,000.
Why the extreme markup? Simply put, it’s because the total retail price of a solar installation includes not just the price per watt, but also installation fees, permits, monitoring equipment, overhead fees and more. (Click here for a complete price breakdown.) Additionally, the cost can jump tens of thousands of dollars if you live in a rainy city like Seattle or New Orleans and need extra panels in order to generate the amount of energy you require. In that case, solar might not be as cost-efficient as other means of power.
However, even if you don’t live in a particularly sunny area, solar could still be the way to go. As we previously reported, eastern states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Delaware are having solar booms due to aging power lines and rising prices of conventional electricity. At Geostellar you can check your home’s solar potential based upon its location, and you’ll also find a list of solar companies in your area.
Be ready to navigate multiple purchasing options.
Similar to car shopping, you’ll need to decide whether to buy or lease. An upfront purchase means you’ll have the full benefits of ownership, including tax benefits and any increase in your home’s value (in California, for example, a small 3kW system can add an average of $18,324 to the value of a medium-sized home). However, you’ll be responsible for your solar system’s maintenance — from ensuring that your panels remain clean (here are some helpful cleaning tips) to monitoring its performance in case any component fails. Panels are highly durable and require little upkeep, plus solar manufacturers usually include a 25-year warranty, so owning them is usually worry-free.
If you want to defray the high sticker price, there are two types of third-party financing: a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or a solar lease. Both require good to excellent credit in order to qualify and involve monthly payments to the solar company that owns, takes care of the installation and provides maintenance on the system. With a PPA, the harvested energy goes to the developer who then sells it back to you at a fixed rate (usually cheaper than your local power company). A solar lease, on the other hand, enables you to rent the equipment for a monthly fee and keep any power that’s produced.
Yes, there are some incentives.
By purchasing a solar or other renewable energy system, you are an environmental patron and therefore entitled to a 30 percent solar Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) until 2016. (You are not eligible if you lease or PPA.) There are also additional rebates, tax credits and other incentives, depending upon where you live. Learn more here.
Don’t try to DIY.
While installing a solar system yourself could save you about $3,000 in installation costs, it’s usually best to hire a reputable professional to do the work instead. To figure out which manufacturer to go with, opt for a large reliable company with lots of installation experience, advises Dr. Rajendra Singh, the D. Houser Banks professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University in South Carolina. Look into SunPower, SolarCity, SunEdison and First Solar, or go to EnergySage for prices and reviews of local, regional and national installers in your area. Once you decide on a provider, be sure to ask these 10 questions.
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How a Cannon Could Save the Wild Salmon Population
The advent of hydroelectric dams has disturbed the crucial upstream migration of wild salmon for years. But a company called Whooshh Innovations aims to change that.
Their Salmon Cannon is derived from technology originally designed to assist apple and pear pickers in Washington’s orchards. The “cannon” is really just a tube lined with a “soft material [that] creates a seal around them, generating a vacuum effect that transports [the fish] through at 11-22 mph.”
Protecting the precious cargo is a system of baffles that keep the salmon from banging into the sides of the tube. The end result — launching the salmon upstream and up to 30 feet in the air — has passed safety tests at multiple sites.
Of course, this isn’t the first human effort at assisting salmon in bypassing manmade river-obstructions in their mating waters. Everything from ladders and elevators to trucks and even helicopters has been tried and proved expensive and inefficient.
Of the cannon, however, Washington’s Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Greg Haldy says, “It’s hard to tell, its early in the year, but it seems to be working way better than what we had in the past, way more efficient and I think it’s more fish-friendly.”
The salmon can be loaded by hand and even have demonstrated a willingness to enter the transport tube on their own.
The company’s very own Todd Deligan sums it up nicely: “Worldwide, there is the need to transport fish, whether they be live or dead, differently and more efficiently.”
From where we’re standing, it doesn’t look like a problem anymore.
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5 Very Simple, Practical Things You Can Do to Curb Climate Change
Climate change is a defining issue of our time and there is no time to lose,” proclaimed Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, during last month’s U.N. Climate Summit. “There is no Plan B because we do not have a Planet B.”
Since you’ve already converted from a gas-guzzling SUV and always BYOB (bring your own bag) to the supermarket, try making these tweaks to your everyday lifestyle. They’ll help the U.N. achieve its goal of keeping the earth’s temperature from rising no more than 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 and, in turn, keep the planet from facing even more disasters like famine, disease and water shortages.
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Even If You Have a Black Thumb, It’s Possible to Grow Your Own Greens
Hiring a landscaper to design your yard isn’t a rare concept, but how about a farmscaper for your vegetable garden?
While it’s not a mainstream concept right now, through the efforts of Farmscape Gardens, it might soon be a household phenomenon.
Farmscape Gardens is California’s largest urban farming company, bringing edible gardens to 300 clients across the state. Since 2009, the company has been working with residential and commercial customers to develop a plan based on the needs of the client and the logistics of the space. First, Farmscape surveys the property and then will install the garden.
The company continues to work with the client through the growing process as well. Customers can hire weekly farmers to come and maintain their gardens by pulling weeds, controlling pests and harvesting the produce.
All of the gardens utilize a raised bed design, allowing for control of soil quality. Other components include drip irrigation, organic practices and manual weeding.
Right now, Farmscape Gardens has two offices in California – one in Los Angeles with 12 employees and one in Oakland with two employees. Although, the Oakland office just opened this past spring, it has already installed 15 gardens.
The company’s biggest new project was the downtown LA Jonathon Club. Not only is it’s Farmscape’s first rooftop garden, but it allows the social club to sell its customers fresh food straight from above them.
For CEO Dan Allen, this is a step in the right direction for the group as the homegrown produce movement gains momentum. “I would say it has made progress towards being a more mainstream concept and we’ve had a chance for more models to develop and more gain to be collected in each of the models,” he tells Sustainable Cities Collective.
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Which Cities Are Working the Hardest to Save the Planet?
With more green space and lower greenhouse gas emissions, cities nationwide are striving to become leaders and innovators in the environmental movement.
Recently, the International Business Times decided to take a look at the cities leading the pack, and while the publication didn’t use exact science, it examined criterion such as carbon footprint, LEED certified buildings (LEED stands for leadership in energy and environmental design) and green space, among others to find the top 10 eco-friendly cities in the U.S.
Among their findings (in no particular order):
SAN FRANCISCO
Not only is it the first city to ban plastic grocery bags, but it also has a curbside compost pick-up program, among numerous other eco-friendly projects.
SEATTLE
This rainy town is a leader in green space with seven parks per 10,000 residents. It also has over 20 buildings that are LEED certified or are being built with the intention of being designated as such.
PORTLAND, ORE.
In addition to building a well-structured mass transit system, Portland has taken the bike craze to a new level. It also boasts loads of green space, a strong recycling program and its carbon emissions per capita rank it in the lowest 20 percent of U.S. cities.
CHICAGO
The Windy City is home to the most buildings with green roofs, which not only help to control temperature by heating and cooling the inside, but they also improve air quality – which isn’t a bad asset for any urban area.
BURLINGTON, VT.
With a third of its energy coming from hydroelectric dams, another third from wind energy and the final third from biomass renewal, this northeast city of 42,000 people just began the first city to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
While this is just a small sampling of what this country is doing to go green, it demonstrates how cities are working to be more environmentally conscious all the time. To find out the remainder of the top 10, click here.
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