I hear about climate change 24/7 because of the nature of my husband’s work. I am constantly reminded of its impact and the ramifications of my actions. I get the side eye from him when I’m shopping online instead of walking to a brick and mortar store.
A few days ago when the UN Climate Report was released it was all we spoke about. While I felt a pang of hopelessness, I still couldn’t evade my feelings of how hard it is to live a green life. It is time consuming, expensive and saddles you with the pressure of exclusion.
It is exhausting to carry out small acts of green behaviour and still watch the world burn and flood. It is natural to question if one should just be selfish because the inevitable will happen eventually. As much as the world consolidates its anger towards fossil fuels and big oil companies for the irreversible damage they have cost us, most of us tend to forget that fashion, particularly fast fashion, is actually the second-most polluting industry in the world.
Cheap clothes from cheap labour, next-day delivery and our own greed fan the flames of climate change too. Our behaviour (scoring so-called bargains) is usually welcomed among our peers as being frugal and smart. Our ability to experiment with so many options for a fraction of the cost strokes our egos with likes and love reactions on our social media accounts. It seems as if we have enjoyed being stuck in the neverending cycle of vanity where it appears okay to be out of touch to a certain extent. Even where most brands have included eco or sustainable lines and made it out to seem as if our consumption is doing good, in most cases they are hardly ever doing that.
According to climate activist Greta Thunberg some brands have greenwash ad campaigns designed to make their clothes look more sustainable. Thunberg, who was photographed with the aesthetic “at one with nature”, was the cover girl for the first edition of Vogue Scandinavia. She mentioned that she longer buys new clothing. In cases where she may need to have something new to wear, she usually relies on borrowing pieces from her friends and family.
That is dedication. I am always in complete envy of people who live like that. They seem to have mastered the art of self-control and to have reached the highest level of contentment with self and life.
Global warming will affect us all in some way or another and there is no escaping this. While our personalities and identities will be shaped by what takes place and influence what we will indulge in, to take on all the stresses of the world is taxing and unhealthy. The constant push to shame people for their choices also creates even more resistance.
Vogue Scandinavia did a smart thing by making Greta the cover star. It provokes thoughts of selflessness and style. It forces us all to think if our relationship with clothing is truly for us, all while gently reminding us that our steps, no matter how small, add up in the long run even if it is isolating and less exciting.
