From the MODO Fashion Show to ‘Hungry for Change’, CAS has co-hosted many events focused on both fashion and food. These are two major topics that concern sustainable consumption and are directly linked to our carbon footprint.
There are many obvious lifestyle changes that we can make to stay fashionable and healthy, however the sustainability efforts by major fashion and food companies often go unnoticed!
FASHION
Lush, the ethically sourced high-street store famous for its shampoo bars and bath bombs, has recently transformed its Manchester store to become completely plastic free! They are using containers made out of cork that are 100% degradable, and offer Knot Wraps to carry your product home in, as an alternative to a (plastic) bag. Also, products now have less packaging thanks to the new ‘Lush Lens’, so all ingredient information can be accessed via your phone! Make sure to check this out next time you visit Lush.
Also, did you know that H&M offer to collect any items of clothing of any brand and condition when you drop them off at their stores? It was the first fashion brand to offer this opportunity and they will even reward you with a voucher for doing so! Monki also does this, even for larger items such as bed sheets and towels. These are difficult to throw anyway, so easy disposal and an economic incentive should leave you with no excuses for not wanting to recycle them!
In fact, shopping at Monki in general is a good choice, as their fashion line ‘Monki Cares’ wants to use 100% sustainably sourced fashion by 2020. This ensures quality of the fashion product, whilst minimising unsustainable methods of cotton production, such as monoculture.
Something you can get less involved in, but still good to know about is Nike’s new energy agreement. All offices in Europe with be powered by renewable wind energy by 2020, generated by a wind farm in Spain. Once this has been achieved, this multi-national corporation would have achieved 75% of its total renewable energy goal. With the transition from fossil fuels to ‘green’ energy growing at an unprecedented rate, you should take note of how Nike wants to contribute in the making of this sustainable journey.
If you are ever spending that student loan at Selfridges on Oxford Street, take advantage of their efforts geared towards sustainability! From 2015, Selfridges have tried to minimise plastic bottle usage, providing drinking water from a public water fountain at the entrance on Duke Street. So next time you are shopping along Oxford Street or simply passing through, think before going to buy a bottle of water from Tesco’s. Bring your reusable water bottle and fill it up- it will save both your money and the environment!
FOOD
Especially living in London, we are spoilt for food choice. With so many different restaurants, cafes and cuisine options surrounding us, it is often hard to say no to a takeout instead of cooking. However, as a student it can be so hard to find quality food for an affordable price. The app ‘Too Good To Go’ means you can get good food at your fingertips (literally!!!). In an attempt to combat food waste, this app shows you nearby restaurants, including Itsu, which have large quantities of leftovers. They put this in their ‘magic bags’ and sell it at a reduced price. The food is usually at least half-price and they give you SO much that some people even give away their leftovers to homeless people!
Some of you may not even realise, but many of our favourite restaurants are already engaged in sustainable practices. The beloved Mexican restaurant, Wahaca, serving unbeatable cocktails and tapas, try to serve all drinks without straws, and those that are used are 100% biodegradable. Nandos in Cambridge has a green wall, and is completely reliant on renewable electricity with nearly 100 solar panels.
Higher end restaurants like Carluccios will eliminate all single use plastic by 2025, but still, it’s important to shame those restaurants that make very little environmental effort. This includes Nobu, famed for its celebrity customers, which warn its customers with a simple asterisk next to the dish that it contains bluefin tuna – an endangered species. They are top predators, so the whole food chain is dependent upon their survival, but Nobu show no remorse and still serve dishes containing it.
All in all, this probably just goes to show that we must always make an active effort to check how sustainable the practices of well-known brands are. We cannot assume that the cheapest solutions offer the least effective sustainable efforts, and must always do our research to see how our consumption practices can be made more environmentally friendly. So, how sustainable are your fashion and food choices?
Comments