Student Tribune
Green Tip - The Clothes off your Back
According to the World Resources Institute (https://www.wri.org/blog/2017/07/apparel-industrys-environmental-impac
t-6-graphics) the average consumer bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in
2000, but kept each garment half as long. What happens to all these
clothes? Approximately 73% end up in landfills or being incinerated. That's
around 70 pounds per person each year! Less than 15% of clothes are collected
for recycling.
What can you do? Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
Reuse
- Consider taking items that don't fit quite right to a local consignment
shop for resale.
- Donate usable clothing to a local shelter or
charity like Savers, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Volunteers of America, or St.
Vincent de Paul.
Recycle
- Clean, dry, and odor-free old clothes, shoes, linens, and
other fabric based items--even torn, worn, and stained items. - Major donation
centers will accept these items and unwearable items end up recycled and
converted into items such as industrial absorbents or fiber that might be used
as carpet padding. Only 5% ends up as waste. (https://www.nysar3.org/page/what-happens-to-donated-clothes-and-textiles
-98.html)
Find a collection location near you using this tool from
the NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling https://www.nysar3.
org/textile_recovery_locations.php
Some manufacturers and retailers have programs where you get rewards or
discounts for bringing in unwanted clothing. See some at: https://www.
nysar3.org/page/other-take-back-programs-83.html
Penwarden, Ann
Sustainability Steering Committee’s Recycling Committee
05/16/2019