Paper or Plastic?

Fun reusable shopping bags from Baggu

          It’s no question that shopping bags are a part of daily routine. At this very moment you probably have a stash of grocery bags stuffed under the kitchen sink, in the car door, the pantry, or a secluded corner of the garage (I know I do). The US alone consumes about 10 million paper shopping bags a year, and nearly 1 trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide. However, our shopping bag habit is costly. Paper bag production depletes forests, uses harmful chemicals and emits greenhouse gasses. Plastic bags are made from the non-renewable resource crude oil, and a single plastic bag takes about 400 years to decompose. Despite their prevalence disposable shopping bags present an environmental dilemma regarding production and recycling.    

            Though recyclable, plastic shopping bags cannot be deposited in curbside recycling bins since they can clog recycling machinery, damage equipment and interfere with the sorting process. However most grocery stores offer plastic bag recycling bins, and plastic bags can be taken directly to some recycling facilities such as the ACC solid waste department.

            An alternative to plastic bags is to request paper bags, which can be recycled with the rest of your paper products. Contrary to popular belief, paper bags are actually no more environmentally friendly than plastic. In fact, even more energy is required in the recycling and transport of paper bags than that of plastic.

         Here lies the problem: paper or plastic?  Instead of regular shopping bags, stock up on reusable bags. On average, the lifespan of a reusable grocery bag is equal to more than seven hundred plastic bags, and by just one person switching over to reusable grocery sacs, over 22,000 plastic bags would be saved. Most grocery stores provide well-priced reusable bags, and online stores sell all types of designs and colors. You can also get crafty and try sewing your own out of an old t-shirt. Substituting reusable bags for their paper or plastic counterparts cuts down on waste as well as the amount of energy used in production and recycling.   

          


-- Claire Ruhlin, Community Intern

Recycle, Reconstruct, Redesign

     The average American throws away a whopping 68 lbs. of unwanted clothing in a single year. In response to this issue, the industry of redesigned or recycled fashion is expanding on all levels. Revamped fashion has also become more accessible thanks to sustainable companies and designers devoted to transforming used textiles into coveted and fashionable garments. Companies such as TRAIDremade, Preloved, E2, Geoffrey B. Small, Urban Renewal, and Community Service are among those following this movement.

           

            TRAIDremade is a brand and a registered charity. The company creates edgy garments made exclusively from donated materials collected from 900 recycling banks across the UK. TRAID stands for Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development. The charity works to save clothes and shoes from the landfill, raise funds for overseas development projects, and educate the public on environmental and poverty issues. Since its launch in 2000, the company has donated a total of over $1.8 million to projects such as creating a fishing cooperative in the Philippines, supplying clean water for the people of Kenya and providing educational activities encouraging students to discuss relevant issues. The recycled clothing offered by the brand became widely available through a partnership with Topman, a high-street chain, in 2002. Now TRAIDremade’s clothing is available in Topman’s Oxford Circus store, allowing for accessible sustainable clothing.

TRAIDremade Peplum Dress

         
        Très chic!  French partners Michele Meunier and Olivier Chatenet founded the label E2 in 1999 as a means of pursuing their love of vintage clothing. Meunier and Chatenet combine contemporary taste with vintage designer clothing and ethnic items through selling their products directly from the runway or showroom in season. The line offers refashioned vintage pieces from high-end designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Madame Grès. The brand also provides reworked ethnic costume as well and a line of elaborate dresses made from vintage silk scarves. They source their redesigned items from estate sales, auctions, and flea markets. E2 clothing can be purchased online, from its exhibition-like shows, or by appointment.

E2 Silk Flower Print Dress

            The ever avant-garde American designer Geoffrey B. Small exemplifies successful incorporation of recycled pieces into modern fashion. Small has pushed the envelope of innovation, a key factor to his revered position in the fashion world. He has displayed more collections at Paris fashion week than any other American designer and has distributed over 30,000 recycled pieces from his Boston-based company. He is accredited with pioneering the use of recycled design in fashion, and his impressive list of clients includes Mariah Carey, Winona Ryder and Halle Berry. Today he resides in Italy where he handcrafts a limited series of garments for select stores around the world.

         

Geoffrey B. Small Runway

         Urban Outfitters offers an exclusive Urban Renewal line made of one-of-a-kind pieces handcrafted in Philadelphia from vintage, surplus or unwanted materials sourced from rag mills worldwide. The company uses local manufacturing and staff to reconstruct vintage pieces and recycle discarded fabrics. Source materials include men’s shirts, sheets, vintage t-shirts and Levi’s denim. These pieces are washed, dyed and trimmed until they are ready to wear. No Urban Renewal item is made from the same material, so each creation is slightly different from the rest. Customers can choose the shape, size and color of each garment, and will receive a printed design from what is available. The line includes dresses, tops, scarves, vests (for the men) and even jewelry.

Urban Renewal

        
           Community Service is a redesigned clothing line here in Athens created by Sanni Baumgaertner, owner of COMMUNITY. The line consists of revamped vintage pieces with a modern twist. Community Service has produced collections and fashion shows biannually since Fall 2010. The  Spring 2012 collection will be available for purchase in COMMUNITY this week.

Community Service

             The potential for sustainability exists in the way we produce, the way we shop, and the way we live. By looking to these companies we can all find inspiration for incorporating revamped or refashioned clothing into our wardrobes. 


For more Information:
TRAIDremade: shop, support
E2: shop
Geoffrey B. Small: site
Urban Renewal: shop, blog
                            
--Claire Ruhlin, Community Intern

Recycling 101: Egg Cartons

Image Source

             Recycling egg cartons can be tricky business, especially considering the variety available: styrofoam, cardboard, and plastic. Here are some helpful tidbits to keep in mind:

        Unfortunatley styrofoam packaging is not widely recyclable so it is best to avoid these containers.  However, if you do have some styrofoam egg cartons and want to be more environmentally conscious, Publix stores provide recycling bins for styrofoam containers, including egg cartons.

         Unlike styrofoam, cardboard egg cartons are recyclable. Since they are made with a softer paper pulp which breaks down easily, they can also work beautifully for backyard composting.

        Plastic cartons are also recyclable, and can go with the rest of your plastics. Just to be safe, you can always check for the recycling symbol on the container.

        Happy Recycling!


-Claire Ruhlin, Community Intern