I don’t know when or why it became so hip to be earth-conscious, but here we are. I’m just sorry it took us so long to realize that, yeah, life isn’t an unlimited all you can eat buffet. Like a trip to Piccadilly, there will be consequences for your greedy actions.
I distinctly remember reading the back of a particular cereal box when I was about 6 or 7 (man, they had me so locked in… they could have easily persuaded me to sell my soul if it was the target of a back-of-cereal-box maze) that had tips on how to be more earth friendly. Turning the water off while you brush your teeth, turning the lights off when you left a room, asking your parents to install low-flow showerheads and showing you how to put two-liter bottles in toilets to reduce water waste (yes, I made my parents do this). To me, even at that age, it was all pretty obvious. What’s the point of leaving a light on in a room you aren’t in? I figured if my 7 year old mind could easily wrap itself around this concept, why was it so freaking hard for adults?
Life went on and I kept turning the water off while I brushed my teeth. I ended up majoring in Environmental Studies in college, despite “not looking like other ENVS majors.” Yeah, someone actually said that to me. I’m sorry I’m not a dirty hippie, but I do believe that you can be environmentally conscious while still dressing pretty, and you know, showering. It’s not that hard, promise.
The absolute most tree hugging way to dress? Shop secondhand.
old polyester > new organic cotton
In addition to the earth love you’re giving, it’s cheaper, more fun, and you don’t end up looking so goshdang cookie cutter. The only cons are an occasional mothball smell (invest in some extra strength Febreze and be sure to find out where your local eco-friendly dry cleaner resides), the sometimes odd sizing, and the need to dig, dig, dig to find the perfect thing. It’s not for everyone: you’ve got to at least kind of like to shop. But trust me, it’s worth it. Treasures abound!
