If we want to bring about deep change, we need to realize that certain mindsets do influence our behavior. Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society, and our relationship with nature. Otherwise, the paradigm of consumerism will continue to advance, with the help of the media and the highly effective workings of the market. Laudato Si’ #215
Remember: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
1. Reduce: Consider buying items with recyclable packaging. The average American generates about five pounds of waste per day, and only around 10% of plastic placed in recycling bins gets recycled. So whatever the product in question, the less you can use, the better.11. Buy organic produce. Organic produce is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
12. If building or remodeling a home, look at windows and doors that meet the highest energy standards in the industry. One such company is Earthwise. Energy-efficient appliances help save energy also!
13. Help combat slavery by buying Fair and Ethically traded products. Look for the symbol on packages for products made using Fair Trade Labor Practices and that avoid Human Trafficking.
Below are examples of Fair Trade logos to look for when you shop:
14. The clothing we wear, especially the demand for “fast fashion,” has an unseen price on the lives of the workers and the environment. In the effort to produce clothes more cheaply and quickly, companies often turn to workers in underdeveloped nations, where they are paid unfair wages and may work in slave-like conditions that contribute to the cycle of poverty. In garment factories, children may be put to work at any or all stages of the supply chain, from the production of cotton to the yarn spinning, to the final cuts and sewing stages. The 2018 Stop Child Labor Coalition estimated that there are nearly 200 million child laborers throughout the world. Clothing production also creates a significant environmental impact, such as the massive amount of waste created as newer fashion trends push older ones into landfills.
The clothing industry is the second-largest consumer of water in the world after agriculture. It takes about 1800 gallons of water to produce one pair of jeans. This is roughly the average amount of water used by an American in 20 days. Dyes and harmful chemicals used in manufacturing are often toxic, not only for the workers but also for the environment, as the production waste is frequently discharged into the surrounding communities and area waterways, compromising sanitation and creating health risks to those living nearby.
So, how can we shop to promote the use of sustainable and ethical practices in the manufacturing of the clothes we wear and protect the people and places that produce them?
How to keep the world GREEN:
Recycle Old Cell Phones:
According to the experts at the UK Guardian’s Green Living Blog, over 35 pounds of carbon is emitted during the manufacturing of one cell phone. When considering that most consumers purchase a new cell phone at least once every two years, the amount of carbon released during cell phone manufacturing is astounding. In order to decrease the cell phone industry’s carbon footprint, as well as keep cell phones out of landfills, many consumers are choosing to recycle their cell phones. Most popular U.S. cell phone providers will gladly take a customer’s old cell phone and recycle it for parts or refurbish the phone to be resold. It is even possible for consumers to sell their old phones to third party companies, so that they may repair and sell these phones for a profit. This recycling of cell phones is great for the environment, while being good for the economy as well.
Many consumers are also choosing to go green by purchasing used or refurbished cell phones. Not only are these phones environmentally friendly, they are cheaper than new phones, and do not require a consumer to re-sign a contract in order to get a good price on the phone. These benefits are encouraging many cell phone users to go green and purchase a recycled or refurbished phone, instead of only considering a brand new phone, as was commonly the case in previous years.
Cell Phone, Used Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids Collection at St. Therese
Prayerful Servants Christian Life Community are collecting used eyeglasses, hearing aids, and cell phones. The Lions Club will then clean, repair, and sort the donations and see that they are given to people in need. Collection boxes are permanently located in the St. Ignatius Day Chapel Narthex, outside the Faith Formation Office and in the Church Narthex.
All eyeglasses—prescription sunglasses, readers, and especially children’s—are needed and accepted. Please do not include the cases. Thank you very much for your generosity!