Garage sales are an old tradition that have been around for decades, offering a simple way for people to declutter their homes, sell items they no longer need, help the environment, and connect with neighbours and their local community in a social setting. They show how far items can go, traveling from one household to another, sometimes crossing towns, cities, or even states, giving objects a second life and allowing them to be enjoyed by new owners rather than ending up in a landfill. The saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” perfectly captures the spirit of garage sales, where items that might seem useless to one person, like old books, clothes, or furniture, can hold great value and joy for someone else. These sales not only preserve the usefulness of items, but also help reduce waste, save resources, and keep countless objects out of landfills and waste-burning facilities. In this way, garage sales show practicality, and sustainability, proving that old habits can still have a positive impact on the environment, our communities, and the way we think about consumption today.

A way some people could get rid of gifts they don’t like after the holiday season is a gift swap. For some people the gifts they receive is actually what they want, but for some people they receive gifts that they probably won’t ever use, which is where this idea comes in. This can be a community event or a school event where everyone comes together after the holiday season and you place all of your gifts on a table or out in the open. Then you  swap your gifts with someone else’s gift they didn’t want. The way you swap your gifts is  adjustable to how  people are there and  what the people want, it can vary. In the end , this a good way to receive something you actually want and will use instead of letting it collect dust on a shelf or worse, throwing it away which would intern more carbon emissions. This idea is also customizable to where you don’t have to swap your gifts for someone. It could be where everyone brings the gifts they didn’t really want or think they’ll use and then you’ll collect all those gifts and then you  could donate them to some charity or organization that could use them.

don't just throw your old clothes out! fast fashion is becoming a big problem and old or ripped/broken clothing items are filling our landfills. But There are many ways to repurpose your old stuff such a donating to thrift stores or charities, or upcycling them into fun projects or useful items. If not they can be turned into rags or donated to fabric recycling center. Making art is super fun and what better way to do it than with stuff you already have that would just end up in landfills, polluting our climate. Get crafting people!

A way that some people will be able to get rid of their old items and some people will be able to get new items without buying brand new things, could be neighborhood item swaps. This idea could help those that are not fortunate enough to still get new things while helping those who over consume, to give back to their community and get rid of things they don't want or need any more without throwing them away (which creates more co2 emission). This would also be way more sustainable for those who are "addicted" to buying and having new things constantly, for them to have recycled/donated things so that they are not contributing to any more co2 emission. Another positive, unrelated, factor that may help decrease co2 emissions would be that neighborhoods could come together and talk. This could be highly impactful, raising awareness of climate change and possibly bringing up new ideas on how to decrease co2 emissions.

We can re-use items like shopping bags, lunch containers, and bring cutlery for eating.  We can use water bottles instead of buying water in plastic bottles.  We can also reuse clothes by shopping at thrift stores.  When we do art, we can use recycled materials for projects.  We can recycle paper, and reuse paper scraps for projects.

I think that using plastic water bottles for just one time, and then throwing them out is really bad for the environment and contributes to climate change. This is because all of the trash in the landfills contribute to pollution, which hurts the growth of trees, and the trees help prevent climate change by producing oxygen. I think that instead of wasting and throwing away plastic bottles after one use, they can be used many times in the future, like normal reusable water bottles.

That is a brilliant point, plastic water bottles and other things that are not reusable can tremendously impact the wildlife and environment. Especially when littered around the streets these things a get washed up by rain into rivers and large bodies of water completely ruining the beauty of nature and when animals mistake these plastics for food can result in a horribly gruesome death. I agree with your idea about using these plastics multiple times an I think talking about these consequences to more people may make reusable water bottles appeal to more people instead of the plastic ones.

Yes, Jigesh. I agree that plastic water bottles should be used multiple times, or should maybe even be discontinued in general. Plastic items take an insane amount of time to break down and take up unecessary space in landfills. They can also end up in oceans where they mess with and even harm the marine wildlife.

I agree with this. Single-use containers, like plastic water bottles, are extremely bad for the environment. Plastic bottles emit greenhouse gasses not only when they are breaking down in landfills, they also emit them when they are being manufactured. This is incredibly bad for the environment.

Hey Jigesh, I also believe that "one time use water bottles" aren't really one time use bottles. They can have so much purpose and potential instead of being used for 20 minutes and being thrown away. Yes, of course, you can always put water in it again but there are other uses, like when I was younger, we used plastic water bottles as plant pots in a way to grow sprouts, helping us garden at home instead of buying vegetables from stores. You can also make a use of the bottle as a watering can poking holes in the cap for gardening instead of buying a new watering can. I also bet you can look online and find so much more uses for old water bottles from TikTok or YouTube. Plastic water bottles are so harmful towards our world so reusing is an amazing thing, or another solution is to buy a reusable later bottle so you can use the same bottle without throwing it out for years!

Recently people started to use trash for fun crafts and decoration. Decoration can be expensive but when you make it yourself it’s free! Crafting is a cheap way to make things that can be useful in your home. You can use anything to make useful things, a way to repurpose things is using trash. Parents can use their crafts as DIY toys, making the lives easier.  It is a cheap way to distract their kids for a little while. The trash you are about to throw away could be something you could use for years, so try your best to make the most out of it.

Exactly! This is a great point. There are so many things we recycle and throw away that can be turned into something really useful. I saw earlier someone said they turned an old milk jug into a watering can. Not only does that reuse something that was gonna be recycled, but it also saves money. Same with arts and crafts. I had an awesome time using old popsicle sticks for fun crafts when I was younger, it was one of my favourite things! When we reuse and repurpose items we can almost always get the same outcome of using something brand new.

these are great points! a lot of people will buy new Halloween decorations every year. my family makes Halloween decor out of old cardboard from our recycling bin and makes signs out of scrap paper. often times, it looks even better then store bought because it adds that homemade charm that you can get from just putting work into things. same goes for homemade cards and gifts, i know that i like a nice handmade birthday card from someone, then a generic one from the store. Old scrap paper can look great if we put the work in!

There are many items we either misplace in the wrong bins or could use for better purposes. Several of these purposes include turning old fabric scraps into small wraps/covers for things we use every day or turning reusable scraps into containers. For example, torn shirts or leftover cloth can be tied around jars, bottles, or small containers to protect them or give them a better grip, while egg cartons could be used as containers for small items like beads and more. It is a very simple way to reuse something that would normally be thrown out and away. Another simple idea that could be implemented is using scraps as padding for fragile items instead of buying and wasting bubble wrap/packing paper. I came up with these ideas after looking into my own life and what I believe would be the most beneficial. There are tons of cardboard boxes that I could turn into containers, and many scraps of cloth I could use around the house as well. Reusing scraps and other materials like this is beneficial to the environment because it reduces the total amount of waste we throw away and cuts down on the need for new materials to be manufactured and produced.

In my area, there is no recycling. One thing I've done to help lower my carbon footprint is take my recycling, when possible, to my local Publix and Target where they have recycling bins available! When possible, too, I reuse glass jars to store dry goods such as beans, lentils, flour, sugar, etc. Not only does this help fight against microplastics in my food, but I'm also repurposing the jars, and not having to go out and buy empty glass storage bins.

love how you're finding ways to recycle items, that truly is great and admirable of you but the fact that your area has no recycling makes me think that this is an issue that you should call change for in your community. Although is is better to try to repurpose items as much as possible rather than just tossing items in the recycle bin, According to the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency),having a recycling bin in your area would be beneficial as,"the recycling and composting of municipal solid waste (MSW or trash) saved over 193 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018". Not only you but the community around you should start recycling in order to make a huge difference against carbon and greenhouse emissions.

One effect reducing and reusing would have on our environment is that it would decrease the amount of pollution and energy waste that is caused because of making new products. Simple ways of doing this include recycling materials such as paper and plastic. Another way more people can help with reducing and reusing is through donating used products such as electronics. Several people around the world buy the iphone model that comes out every year. According to New Tech Recycling, billions of phones are thrown out. Instead of throwing out the old phone, it would be smarter to donate the phone so that way, less phones need to be produced to satisfy the demand. This would save energy and therefore help decrease CO2 emissions.

An idea for reusing and repurposing that I have done before was turning a plastic milk jug into a watering can. It is extremely easy, and you do not need to buy a new plastic watering can. All you need to do is unscrew the cap, clean the jug, remove the cap, and make several small holes in the cap using a hammer and nail or a drill. Then, reattach the cap, fill the jug with water, and water your plants. It is truly a great solution!

Participating in the internet trend "Project Pan" helps people combat overconsumption, and encourages them to be more resourceful. "Project Pan" is a trend that gained popularity in the early 2010's where people use up all of their beauty and hygiene products before buying new ones. This also helps eliminate waste, and teaches people to only buy things that are necessary for them and that they will likely use.

We as humans should make sure that the plastics we use are not just going in the Environment. It's getting recycled and no just going to waste. We should make sure we pick up the trash that is in the ground and throw the stuff that is recyclable.

Recently my parents have been making me and my brother go through all of our old clothes from when we were younger, selecting the clothes that are not torn and are in more or less good condition, and then donating them to third-world countries with kids who are in need. While it is obviously a good thing to donate clothes to those who are in need, I also realized that donating used clothes help extend the usage life of said clothes, and therefore removes the environmental ails of manufacturing more clothes.

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You can further this processes by passing clothes down from sibling to sibling, or even wearing damaged clothing at home, or to bed

It’s very tempting to throw things away or even drop them in a recycling bin when we’re done with them, but many items still have plenty of life left. By reusing and repurposing, we can reduce waste, save resources, and cut down on the energy needed to make new products. Simple actions like repairing broken items instead of replacing them, turning packaging into storage containers, or finding entirely new uses for everyday objects can make a big difference. For example, glass jars can become organizers for pens, buttons, or kitchen ingredients, old t-shirts can be turned into cleaning rags or tote bags, and cardboard boxes can be transformed into storage solutions or creative craft projects. Even food scraps can be repurposed into compost or used to make homemade broths, reducing organic waste. Digital tools and community initiatives also make it easier to give items a second life. Apps and online marketplaces allow us to donate, sell, or trade things we no longer need instead of sending them to landfills. Community repair workshops, clothing swaps, and upcycling programs provide opportunities to learn how to fix and creatively reuse items. By being creative and mindful about how we handle the products we buy, we not only extend their lifespan but also reduce the environmental impact of production, transport, and disposal. Repurposing packaging is another important step. Cardboard, plastic containers, jars, and even bubble wrap can be reused in everyday life instead of being discarded. For instance, packaging can be turned into planters, storage bins, or shipping materials. This mindset encourages thinking of products not just as single-use items but as resources with potential for multiple uses.

Lately i’ve been observing how often i use plastic bottles and i realised that there is somethings i could change. One way i could reduce my use of plastic bottles is by drinking water out of a cup instead of drinking bottled water while at home and if i do use a plastic bottle i could refill and reuse it instead of using a plastic bottle once and throwing it away. If you find yourself doing this to I hope you will consider this and do it.

One way to reduce plastic water bottles is to use reusable bottles made out of metal or glass.

In Scotland a law was passed single so shops and supermarkets could give away single use plastic bags for free, there is a minimum charge of £0.05 for a bag
This has really encouraged people to reuse plastic shopping bags or take their own bags

I agree that charging for plastic bags in supermarkets is a good decision. They started charging for them in Croatia too, and after a while people realized how useful it is in reducing the use of plastic. I would like to point out something even more useful that each of us can do. We can reuse some old clothing material and sew a cloth bag that can also be used multiple times and is more environmentally friendly.

Laws made like Scotland's can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that production of these plastic bags cause. Also these bags are not biodegradable and can last for years in landfills. Some plastic bags also end up in the ocean and animals have injuries or die from entanglement.

Supporting these statements on how the rise in plastic bags are reducing the overall carbon emissions is show in a study done by pubmedcentral.gov “the extensive usage of plastic bags has caused detrimental environmental damage, and an influx of research efforts have been undertaken to reduce people’s usage of plastic bags.” This proves the fact that plastic bags do harm the environment. Another study done by the same resource shows “Furthermore, when plastic carrier bags are priced at RMB 2.0, 81.2% of the surveyed consumers say they will stop buying them.” This shows that an increase in plastic bags will result in a reduced consumer base. Reducing the amount of people buying bags will ultimately result in less plastic bags released into the environment. This study proves the fact that a increase in plastic bag prices will result in less plastic bags in the environment which ultimately reduces the carbon emissions.

I really agree with this its a great way to stop plastic waste. This also makes plastic bags more valuable so now people don't have to just throw them anywhere.

Recently my parents have been making me and my brother go through all of our old clothes from when we were younger, selecting the clothes that are not torn and are in more or less good condition, and then donating them to third-world countries with kids who are in need. While it is obviously a good thing to donate clothes to those who are in need, I also realized that donating used clothes help extend the usage life of said clothes, and therefore removes the environmental ails of manufacturing more clothes.

If everyone in the world followed the morality in recycling and reusing stuff that's reusable, the world would have much less trash and would be much less polluted. For example we have plastic bags, most people, after using it, they dispose of it when they can actually reuse it for other items or they can put it in the recycling bin to it can be recycled into a new bag. But, not everyone does that, most people just throw it away or toss it onto the street. Which causes the company to make more plastic bags, which means more carbon emissions and this is general knowledge that plastic can never truly be gone. So if we all work towards recycling and reusing such items like plastic bags and containers, we could all be the cause of a major positive change in the Earth's climate and environment.

A amazing way to repurpose is using reusable bags. You could buy reusable bags but you could also buy plastic or paper bags. Just make sure you keep it and not throw it away after one use! Plastic bags can extremely affect the environment. It takes 1000 years for 1 plastic bag to decompose and every year the world uses 5 trillion plastic bags. Plastic bags is the main reason that leatherback sea turtle are endangered, killing 34% of leatherback sea turtle. Reusing bags is a really easy way to help the environment and save money so there isn’t really a reason you can’t do it.

Fast-Fashion is one of the biggest influences  of over consumption our society faces today. Websites such as SHEIN started to trend due to their extremely cheap prices, because of this people tend  to overlook reusing & re-purposing because it is “too much work” or they simply believe they aren’t capable of creating something by hand. Instead of encouraging this behavior we should look towards other alternatives such as thrift-stores! Old clothing that no longer fits you can be donated to these organizations or you can use the fabric for a different craft! Any sort of “trash” can be reused and turned into something resourceful.

The craziest part is that some Fast-Fashion isn't even cheep anymore. Our society has started hiking up prices for things that were supposed to be easy and cheep. Now all we are getting is cheaply made clothes for unfair prices. This should be a wake up call for people to start slowing their role on buying the newest fashions from SHEIN, and start going and buying things at goodwill, value village, or just your local thrift store to give old clothes a second life. Doing this doesn't just help our planet, it also saves us the trouble of poorly made clothes breaking and us going to buy a new one, in turn wasting our money.

Yes! And also, their is no wrong in thrifting clothes that come from fast fashion shops, instead of letting it go to waste, if you like the piece of clothing and your money is going to the thrift shop, buy it! If you refuse to buy something at a thrift just because of the tag, you're just contributing to the waste.

One simple and cost-effective way to reduce your carbon footprint is by using reusable shopping bags instead of constantly using new plastic ones. Plastic bags are made using petroleum, and they take hundreds of years to break down in landfills, or in oceans. There have been dozens of reports that suggest Americans use around 90 billion plastic bags every year, and less than 8% of them are recycled. By switching to reusable cloth and paper bags, you can reduce waste and help lower the demand for plastic production. My family has been slowly shifting towards the use of reusable bags; we have cloth bags in our cars and try to use them when shopping as much as we can. Not only does it help the environment, but it also saves money because some stores even charge extra for plastic bags.

Some ways to Reuse it is to use reusable alternatives, Repair and buy used things, and also donations. One person's trash could be another person's treasure. Not only will you be reducing waste, but you will also help others. For re-purpose re-purpose items such as old clothes, cloth grocery bags, and containers to stop waste. These are some ways to Reuse and Re-purpose things because you need to know what you are going to throw out.

Some ways to Reuse it is to use reusable alternatives, Repair and buy used things, and also donations. One person's trash could be another person's treasure. Not only will you be reducing waste, but you will also help others. For re-purpose re-purpose items such as old clothes, cloth grocery bags, and containers to stop waste. These are some ways to Reuse and Re-purpose things because you need to know what you are going to throw out.

1. Donate to thrift shops and donation boxes/ clothing drop spots
There are many thrift shops you can donate to like goodwill, or in some places there are green metal boxes that say donate on them, or just say clothing on them where you can give clothes you don't want.

2. turn shirts and soft clothing into toys
You can use the fabric to sew stuffed toys or turn them into thin strips to use them as yarn. Turn old socks to sock puppets

3. turn old clothing into new clothing!
turn your jeans to shorts and turn your shorts to skirts,cut the neckline of a shirt to turn it into an off the shoulder shirt. Make shirts into tank tops and cut the sleeves out of long sleeve shirts and make leg warmers or just as add on sleeves for fashion.

4. Turn them into rags for cleaning

In my carbon Footprint something that is high on the list is my uses of lights and I have found some ways rather than just losing when I want to have my lights on I think switching to energy efficient light bulbs. They use less electricity and last much longer than traditional bulbs, helping you save money and energy at the same time. This small change can significantly lower household energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/ligh … -you-money

As someone who loves clothes and shopping I have been thinking a bunch on how I could reduce my shopping and make it into something more ecofriendly. And I came across ThredUp which is an online thrift store that sells high quality second hand items. I really like this because it has the option to for you to sell items and buy items with so many categories such as designer brands. I highly recommend this and will for sure buy some stuff from ThredUp with my next paycheck. https://www.thredup.com/about

A good way to reuse and repurpose would be to thrift clothing, eat all leftovers before making more food, and use things you think are useless and give them a purpose to lessen your carbon output, so, like cans or bottles, could be repurposed to hold other things like jewelry, hair ties, and other items to help lessen the waste.

I'm a big advocate for thrift shopping, especially if one can't afford to buy name-brand clothing articles. Thrift stores are easy to find, and the prices for the clothes are much less compared to clothes in bigger stores (Walmart, Target) or name-brand stores (Hollister, Levi's).

Repurposing items to give them a 'second-life' is also smart. There are myriads of videos on YouTube that can help a person craft useful items with random, household objects that are usually thrown away.

I-Pre-SJR State

I think that we should reuse plastic containers instead of throwing them out

We need to make more containers that ARE reusable, most plastic will degrade and leak microplastics into whatever it is containing. I think the solution is to make more biodegradable plastic as apposed to reusing.

I personally think that we need to stop making/creating so much single use plastic in our packaging as its what is mainly sitting in our landfills. Plus, with packaging like the kind you are given from taking food home from restaurants, they use harmful products like Styrofoam which is horrible for environment. Therefore is companies can find more environmentally friendly packaging we can help avoid adding to our already existing waste problem.

We should use either containers that are reusable or compostable inside or outside of your dwelling so it can be repurposed either way.

yeah, I think we should prioritize re-using, and try and keep the number of plastic products we buy to a minimum. As well as reducing the amount of kitchen items like cling wrap and things that won't break down somewhat easily.

Absolutely! I think a lot of people tend to just throw away things that could be used multiple times. Throwing things away will have a bad effect on the environment knowing where they go, I don't exactly where everything goes but i can say for sure a lot of plastic ends in the oceans and definitely effects the wildlife in negative ways. And people can do this by reduce the plastic they throw out.

In our society, lots of new things are being made cheap and quickly every second of the day. They are made out of plastic, being imported into wealthier countries, and they don't tend to last. Instead of participating in fast fashion, people should try going to thrift stores and buying used clothes or items. Thrifting is also typically much cheaper than buying brand new items. You may even find products which are made with higher quality fabrics. If you grow out of your clothes you should donate them to thrift stores, reuse the fabric for something else, or try making a Tshirt no sew reusable bag.

I like your opinion and I completely agree with you. More and more clothes are bought every day and I think too many clothes are thrown away. Some stores recycle used/old clothes but not enough. I think influencers could contribute to solving this problem because they have a great influence on young people. Some of my friends also use the app to sell things at low prices. I think it's good for both people and the environment.

I totally agree with you. Fast fashion has done so much harm to the environment, and the items being produced are cheaply made and often break down after a short period of time. I’ve started thrifting a lot and can honestly say that it is much better than buying fast fashion. Many of the things I find are even vintage and the quality of the clothing is built to last a long time. Additionally, the clothes are being reused instead of being dumped. I am proud to say that a large amount of my wardrobe has been thrifted instead of bought brand new. Also, I crochet accessories for myself instead of buying them, like beanies, bags, and leg warmers. By crocheting, I am paying much less for items than what I would pay for if I bought them brand new from a fast fashion brand. It’s also very rewarding to be able to say that I made an item by hand. I think buying clothes and accessories secondhand or even making them yourself is a great alternative to fast fashion and a great way to reduce waste and pollution.

I agree with you that thrifting and crafting are great ways to be more sustainable. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that over 11 million tons of textile waste were thrown away in the U.S. in 2018, which is really concerning. Thrifting can help make a change by giving clothes a second chance rather than tossing them in the landfills. From my own experience, I've been able to find some very nice clothes while thrifting and sometimes the quality is way better than fast fashion. Also Fast fashion is cheap and does not last long. Lastly, I like the idea of reusing old clothes to make things like reusable bags or other crafts. It's a creative way to repurpose old clothes instead of throwing them out.

I completely agree with you. The cycle of fast fashion and constant consumption is not only harmful to the environment but also encourages a throwaway mindset where individuals will waste clothing that someone else could've used. I also agree that thrifting is such a great alternative — it helps reduce waste, supports sustainability, and often leads to finding unique, high-quality items that you can't get in regular stores. I also love your idea about reusing fabric, it’s eco-friendly, and a great way to give old clothes new life. In addition, I wonder if there are any companies that already use old fabric to create new clothes.

I see your point, Nina. Thrifting and upcycling things not only conserve waste but also give us the chance to find high-quality pieces. Thrifting has a big affect in reducing waste. I also like the idea of making reusable bags out of discarded shirts. Have you ever tried making other things from thrift shopping items?

I agree. I am passionate about thrifting all of my crafting materials, especially taking old things and turning them into something new! With the fabric store joanns closing, I am now sourcing even my needles at thrift stores, if you do some digging you can find incredibly cool crafting materials- super sustainable and very affordable!

sabababa I love how you look for clothes that aren't brand new or make the clothes yourself, its really inspiring wish I could be just like you, but I'm just learning more about reusing and I hope that I can be just like you one day. I also agree how people just buy so much clothes and once they don't use it again they just throw it away and it ending up in a dump instead of giving someone else a chance to wear the clothes they had.

I agree, fast fashion is such a big problem in the media right now, same with over consumption. its being normalized and that's not what we need. One of the ways that we can help fight this is thrift and only buy things when we need too, not just because it is trending. You really don't need twenty of the same product jut because it is "limited edition". Crafting is also an amazing way to repropose things, instead of buying something new for a pencil holder, you could make a really cute one out of an old can for soup or tomato sauce and paint it or put construction paper around it. But basically I totally agree with this point and its not even the hardest change to make, that shirt that is trending right now will go out of style in a month so its better not to buy it anyways.

Instead of immediately throwing items out, you should take time to reconsider what use to make out of the objects, such as an auto dispenser of water for your plants. If you seriously can’t think of any use for it, at least dispose of the trash in the correct bin. Given the designated category.

Throwing away old clothes is a wasteful problem many people participate in. All those old, used, even new clothes that people throw out, get incinerated and used as fuel that pollutes the environment and hurts the earth. I read an article from NLST and RTS all relating to recycling clothes, and it mentioned how 85% of people toss away old clothes to be burned and to eventually damage the environment, when there are many more simpler and resourceful solutions. Rather than throwing away clothes, people can donate them or sell them to other people. The main solution of recycling clothes is giving them to thrift stores so they can resell it and it can make someone else happy. In the articles I read, 15% of people reuse/recycle their clothes either giving them away to people, stores or reusing them to make new and trendy clothes. My mom and I always donate my old clothes to charity or clothing drives to help other families that need clothes. We used to give them to my cousins but they have outgrown them so we donate them and see other families happy and safer with new clothes. It gives them a chance to be cared for, warm, and stylish.

Throwing away old clothes is a wasteful problem many people participate in. All those old, used, even new clothes that people throw out, get incinerated and used as fuel that pollutes the environment and hurts the earth. I read an article from NLST and RTS all relating to recycling clothes, and it mentioned how 85% of people toss away old clothes to be burned and to eventually damage the environment, when there are many more simpler and resourceful solutions. Rather than throwing away clothes, people can donate them or sell them to other people. The main solution of recycling clothes is giving them to thrift stores so they can resell it and it can make someone else happy. In the articles I read, 15% of people reuse/recycle their clothes either giving them away to people, stores or reusing them to make new and trendy clothes. My mom and I always donate my old clothes to charity or clothing drives to help other families that need clothes. We used to give them to my cousins but they have outgrown them so we donate them and see other families happy and safer with new clothes. It gives them a chance to be cared for, warm, and stylish.

People all over the world don't realize that jeans that you buy take 1000 Gallons of water to make one pair of jeans. As humans, we drink 1/2 a gallon a day. One pair of jeans is the equivalent to 2000 people having enough water to drink for the day. When we throw away jeans, we waste that good denim material that we can use for future use. For example, in the article "Denim Insulation Review: Comparison Guide and Pros and Cons", I learned that if we use jeans that we throw away as insulation, we can save so much material on making the insulation that is commonly used, it's terrible for the environment! It can add up to 26 million Tons of CO2 emissions a year! If we started reusing jeans that we buy, we would help the environment a lot. I used this in my daily life after we remade our garage, we thrifted old jeans and used the denim from the jeans to insulate our walls and keep us warm throughout the winter. Cutting waste in material needs to be focused on more.

One easy and cost effective way to reduce your carbon footprint is by using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones. Plastic bags are made from petroleum, and they take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency (2021) reports that Americans use around 100 billion plastic bags every year, and less than 10% are recycled. By switching to reusable bags, you can reduce waste and help lower the demand for plastic production. Consumers are the source, when we stop buying there is no demand, which means no market for plastic bags. Me and my family started using reusable bags when we go shopping, and it’s such an easy change, all we do is leave the reusable bags in the trunk so if we need them they are handy and putting them away is easy. Not only does it help the environment, but it also saves money because some stores even charge extra for plastic bags. Once you change to reusable bags, it't something that is just a small change that can make a huge difference in our carbon footprint, something that doing it for a week will feel like an unconcious act

Fast fashion is one of the issues in our society that isn't addressed properly. By buying fast fashion and following micro-trends, we not only further encourage child labor and such, but we also contribute to an extremely large portion of the world's Carbon production. Not only are the clothes from fast fashion stores and brands made of poor quality materials, but they have also been proven to contain lots of extremely harmful chemicals. On top of all that, fast fashion is intended to change quickly to fit the new trends - hence the name - which is why a concerning amount of clothes (probably worn only like 5 times) end up in landfill after they're no longer trendy, only further polluting the planet.

A few ways to stay as far away from fast fashion culture that have worked the best for me are second-hand shopping and DIY (Do It Yourself). Half of my closet consists of my relatives' old clothing items, a lot of them waiting for summer to get customized and repurposed, while my own old clothes have already found their new owners (actual people, not the trash!).
Personally, I adore DIY. The possibilities are endless, regardless of skill or experience - all you need is a vision. I've made band t-shirts, bracelets, necklaces, cuffs and other accessories completely from scratch, and I can guarantee you that there is no better feeling than wearing something you made yourself.

So, I encourage more people to try out more sustainable fashion sources: go to thrift stores, alter and customize your old clothes. Reuse, recycle, repurpose!

I completely agree with your points about fast fashion! It’s a serious issue that often gets overlooked, especially with the rise of trends. I’ve also started shopping second-hand and repurposing old clothes, and it’s been a rewarding shift. In addition, I enjoy giving my used clothing to thrift stores and Goodwill’s because not only is it a relief for me, it has the opportunity to help a lot of people. It feels good to know i’m reducing waste as well. Making or customizing your own clothes adds so much personal value. Like you said, there’s nothing like wearing something you made yourself. I definitely think that more people need to realize that fashion can be both creative and sustainable, and by encouraging creativity, I believe that more people will be captivated to give reusing clothing a try! I have been thinking about this pretty consistently, and it has made me wonder how drastic of a change we can make by incorporating DIY and repurposing fashion into our everyday lives? It would be very interesting to observe, and even more to experiment with.