'Secondhand Sunday'

 

'Secondhand Sunday' Encourages People to Give Used Gifts

  

new campaign redirects holiday shoppers away from mass consumption of new goods toward more ethical and sustainable choices.

 

You've heard of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday—all major shopping days that take place at the end of the November. But now there's another day you can add to the list, and it's one that gets a big thumbs up from Treehugger. The first annual Secondhand Sunday will roll out this year. It is the brainchild of Poshmark, a social commerce marketplace that enables users to buy and sell clothing online, mostly used.

 

Secondhand Sunday, which takes place on November 27 this year (and will always be on the Sunday following U.S. Thanksgiving), comes at an especially good time. The organizers point to the convergence of two key trends: first, ongoing inflation is prompting customers to look for deals and ways to save money; and second, people are increasingly open to receiving secondhand gifts.

 

Poshmark commissioned global research firm Morning Consult to assess the secondhand market. It found that over 90% of American adults say they would be willing to receive a secondhand or resold gift this season, but only 34% are likely to buy them for others. This suggests "massive opportunity to close the gap"—a task that Poshmark has embraced with enthusiasm.

 

Amber McCasland, vice-president of Global Brand and Communications, told Treehugger that consumers have become familiar with dedicated shoppings days in the calendar.

 

"Our team saw an opportunity to hack traditional holiday shopping patterns by shining a spotlight on the many benefits of secondhand shopping and selling ... Secondhand Sunday aims to redirect holiday shopping away from mass consumption of new goods toward choices that support individual economic empowerment, social connection and environmental sustainability. Secondhand Sunday encourages shoppers to think about who they're buying from, and support secondhand sellers during the peak holiday shopping season."

Poshmark is a platform from which individual sellers run their own "closets" or shops, similar to Etsy, and make extra cash. Some do it part-time, others full-time. While sellers have varying motivations for doing business, many are driven by the belief that buying secondhand is important for the environment.

 

One such seller is Ashley Wheeler from Oregon. When she started selling on Poshmark, her husband worked as a truck driver at a landfill site. They were both horrified at the amount of textile waste that was getting dumped, just because it was deemed unsellable by a retailer. Even when her husband asked to bring home items that still had value, he was told no, because "companies had paid the landfill to dispose of their garbage." She told Treehugger:

 

"For us, that was a wake up-call. We realized it wasn't just about us bringing our pre-owned clothing back into the market but finding other inventory that companies were ready to dispose of and help recycle it back into use. That's when we started to learn about Goodwill Outlets (aka the bins) and other similar stores—where we source a majority of our inventory."

Wheeler now buys cast-off items by the pound from Goodwill's "last chance" bins and resells them on Poshmark. She said it's possible to find designer and high-end fashion brands, and that often items are still in great or new condition.

 

When asked what she looks for, Wheeler said, "We focus on brands and fabric materials when we are sourcing items. We prefer natural materials like linen, silk, hemp, organic cotton, etc. We also look at functionality: work boots, jeans, sweaters, puffer coats, windbreakers ... Functionality typically lasts longer in someone's closet and they are more likely to pick up over trends, from our experience."

 

While Poshmark has run smaller, more targeted holiday campaigns in the past, McCasland said that Secondhand Sunday is "our first concerted effort to change the cultural conversation around how people shop and gift during the holidays." The hope is that, instead of running out to buy new items as gifts, people will realize that it's acceptable and even preferable to source used items instead. And they may discover Poshmark for the first time—an easily accessible website and app that allows you to search for specific styles, sizes, and brands.

 

Manish Chandra, company founder and CEO, said in a press release, "We want to promote and celebrate the idea that our sellers' virtual closets are the new must-see holiday storefronts, and invite consumers across the nation to choose secondhand, on Secondhand Sunday and all year long."

 

Whether you visit a local thrift store or go online to Poshmark, there's a world of used clothing out there that's just waiting to be worn. To choose that over new is a small yet meaningful act of environmental preservation. It says no to more production, more resource extraction, more exploitative labor practices in distant countries. It extends the lifespan of already created garments, reduces the number of clothes being discarded, and cuts down on the methane emitted when textiles break down in landfill.

 

So, really, you can't go wrong. Secondhand Sunday is a great idea that gets people off conventional shopping websites and out of malls while promoting circular fashion, waste reduction, and financial savings. Poshmark encourages people to participate and spread the word by using the #SecondhandSunday hashtag on social media.

 

 

 

Sources/Links:

https://www.treehugger.com/secondhand-sunday-poshmark-6831360

 

https://www.secondhandsunday.poshmark.com/

 

https://poshmark.com/

 

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A Poison Like No Other

 

 

America Recycles Day is celebrated on November 15 every year and is a shadow of its former self. It used to be our favourite day to question the recycling industry and the companies behind the event. In my first post about it in 2008, I wrote:

 

"Let's call recycling what it is – a fraud, a sham, a scam perpetrated by big business on the citizens and municipalities of America. Look who sponsors the National Recycling Coalition, behind America Recycles Day: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Owens-Illinois, International Bottled Water Association (IWBA), the same people who brought you that other fraud, Keep America Beautiful. Recycling is simply the transfer of producer responsibility for what they produce to the taxpayer who has to pick it up and take it away."

 

Of all those fancy big sponsors, only the International Bottled Water Association remains, joined by a Dutch beer company, an insurance company, and a craft distiller I have never heard of. This year they are pushing job creation.

 

“Educating and motivating Americans to recycle is one of the most important aspects of our mission at Keep America Beautiful. Today we celebrate those who passionately work to create programs and projects to increase awareness and action for a circular economy. Thank you for being stewards of sustainability,” said Jennifer Lawson, Keep America Beautiful's president and CEO.

 

But as we have noted before, the purpose of educating and motivating Americans to recycle is to make them feel good about single-use products. The reason for talking about the circular economy is because recycling is broken and circular sounds better. And while aluminum and cardboard have value and are recycled, most single-use plastics are not worth very much. That's why, as a Greenpeace report recently showed, less than 5% of plastics in the U.S. are recycled, and the rest is being burned, landfilled, or lost on land or in the oceans.

 

Sources/Links:

https://www.treehugger.com/a-poison-like-no-other-matt-simon-book-review-6828665

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17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

THE 17 GOALS

 

17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you know all 17 SDGs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XTBYMfZyrM

 

 

Understanding the Dimensions of Sustainable Development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgNLonYOc9s

 

 

Sources/Links:

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

 

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8 Billion

 

The 8 Billion mark

 

Hello,

 as I was going through my daily readings, I found out that we are just days away from the 8 Billion mark!  

I found it curious because I could remember something about the 7 Billion mark…

 And it was this Infographic, that I've stored in my PC, saved back in July, 6 2022

 

 

 but now...

 Global Human Population to Reach Eight Billion by November 15

 

The population of humans on Earth is expected to reach eight billion by November 15, according to the United Nations.

 

Indeed we are just 3 days away from :

 Sources/Links:

 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/global-human-population-to-reach-eight-billion-by-november-15-180981113/

 

https://www.un.org/en/dayof8billion

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10 Deforestation Facts You Should Know About

 

 Since 1990, 420 million hectares of forest have been lost as a result of human activity including land clearing for agricultural farming and logging. As of 2020, forest cover accounts for about 31% of the world’s total land area. Though the rate of deforestation has decreased over the past three decades, we’re losing thousands of hectares more with every passing day. September 2022 went down in history as a record-breaking month for deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest and most important rainforest. Here are 10 stunning deforestation facts you need to know and why we need to protect our forests more than ever.

 

 

10 Deforestation Facts

 

1. We Lose Around 10 Million Hectares of Forest Every Single Year

The world has been chopping down 10 million hectares of trees every year to make space to grow crops and livestock, and to produce materials such as paper. This accounts for about 16% of total tree loss cover. 96% of deforestation takes place in tropical forests.

 

2. Deforestation Contributes about 4.8 Billion Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide A Year

One of the most stunning deforestation facts is that forest loss contributes nearly 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which is equivalent to nearly 10% of annual human emissions. NASA researchers found that accelerated slashing and burning methods of land clearing in Borneo, the third-largest island in the world and home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world, contributed to the largest single-year global increase in carbon emissions in two millenniums, driving Indonesia up towards a leading source of carbon emissions.

 

3.75 million hectares of tropical primary rainforests were lost in 2021 alone. This resulted in 2.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual fossil fuel emissions of India and nearly 10 soccer pitches a minute.

 

 3. Beef is Responsible for 41% of Global Deforestation

The farming industry needs to clear substantial pasture lands for cattle (and livestock) in order to keep up with global demand for beef. An estimated 81,081 square miles of forest land is lost every year for meat production, 80% of which occurs in the Amazon. Developed countries such as the US and China, the latter happens to be the world’s biggest beef consumer, devouring almost one-third of the world’s meat, are some of the biggest culprits of deforestation. But developing countries are catching up and are on track to rise by four times as much as in the developed world by 2028. Many are calling for people to adopt a plant-based diet as a method of combat deforestation, which will also help slash greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural industry and slow down global warming.

 

4. Chocolate and Biscuits are Major Contributors to Deforestation

Aside from beef production, the palm oil industry is also responsible for a significant amount of deforestation around the world. Palm oil is used in over two thirds of the food products that we consume everyday, from vegetable oil to chocolate to biscuits, as well as in other household products like soap and shampoo. To keep up with the demand, forest land equivalent to 300 football fields is being cleared every hour to make room for palm plantations, destroying important habitats of critically endangered species such as the orangutan and Sumatran tiger.

 

Many forests have also been converted into monoculture plantations, meaning planting the same single plant species across the land, which not only threatens biodiversity of the ecosystem, but increases the risks of soil erosion while reducing nutrient content.

 

5. Brazil and Indonesia Account for Almost Half of Tropical Deforestation

And one-third of tropical deforestation happens in Brazil alone. That amounts to approximately 1.7 million hectares each year. Both Brazil and Indonesia are home to some of the world’s largest and biodiverse tropical forests in the world. As the agricultural industry continues to practice land clearing for crop and livestock farming, the threat to biodiversity only worsens. Studies say observed animal populations have experienced an average 68% decline in population numbers. In Borneo, Indonesia, the critically endangered orangutan lost nearly 80% of its population within the last 50 years.

 

6. Soy Plays a Big Role in Deforestation

While most think of soy in the form of soy milk, tofu and other soybean products that make up a plant-based diet, soy in fact has been mostly used as animal feed and to support the massive demand of meat production. Animal feed makes up 77% of soy production, while only 19.2% goes directly into human food products. Globally, soy is responsible for about 12% of deforestation. Due to the fact that soy only offers one yield per life cycle, soy cultivation requires a lot more land use, where the total area of land used to cultivate soy takes up the combined area of the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Seeking an alternative source of animal feed and reducing global meat consumption could both significantly drive down the rate of deforestation.

 

7. Deforestation Has Turned the Amazon Rainforest into a Carbon Source

One of the most shocking deforestation facts in recent years is that the Amazon, the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems and important carbon sinks, is found to emit a greater amount of carbon dioxide than it is absorbing as a result of deforestation, wildfires and climate change. According to a study between 2010 and 2018, deforestation in eastern Amazonia has led to greater warming and moisture stress to the forest especially during dry seasons, making it more susceptible to wildfires. Forest fires, in turn, produce three times more carbon than the forests can absorb, creating a negative loop. The study also revealed that the forest emitted about a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, equal to the annual emissions released in Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest polluter.

 

8. No Company in the World Achieved Its Net Zero Deforestation Commitment

A 2020 analysis found that more than half of the 100 most significant tropical timber and pulp companies have failed to commit to protecting biodiversity and 44% have yet to publicly commit to net zero deforestation (meaning the rate of land clearing is equal to the rate of reforestation or replanting). Out of the companies that have pledged to reach net zero deforestation by 2020, only eight companies were found to have deployed comprehensive forest and land-use management practices but none were able to successfully achieve net zero.

 

9. Leading Banks Financed $119 Billion to Companies Linked to Deforestation

One of the most shocking facts about deforestation is that the world’s top global banks and lenders have extended a total of USD$119 billion of financing to 20 major agricultural companies linked to deforestation in just the span of five years. Banks such as JPMorgan, HSBC, and Bank of America were among the biggest investors, backing projects and businesses including Brazilian meat producer JBS to support its cattle and poultry farms. Each of the banks have reportedly struck dozens of funding deals between 2016 and 2020 despite a number of firms having adopted ‘no-deforestation’ policies. There is a glaring lack of monitoring and enforcing mechanisms in the financial sector, allowing widespread land degradation to persist.

 

10. More Than 100 Countries Have Pledged to End Deforestation by 2030

Despite the current state of deforestation, there is good news. At last year’s COP26 climate conference, a UN summit for world leaders to conduct and negotiate policy agreements on emissions reduction and climate change mitigation, more than 100 countries have joined a pledge to stop and reverse deforestation by the end of the decade. Combined, these 100+ countries make up 85% of the world’s forests. Some of the most notable signatories include Brazil, Russia, Colombia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pact will see US$19.2 billion of private and public funds to help combat this global environmental problem, from restoring degraded land and supporting indigenous communities to mitigating wildfire damage.

 

About the Author

 Olivia Lai

Olivia is a journalist and editor based in Hong Kong with previous experience covering politics, art and culture. She is passionate about wildlife and ocean conservation, with a keen interest in climate diplomacy. She’s also a graduate of University of Edinburgh in International Relations with a Master’s degree from The University of Hong Kong in Journalism. Olivia was the former Managing Editor at Earth.Org.

 

 

Fontes/Links:

https://earth.org/deforestation-facts/

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