What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is defined as the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released a report stating that now is the time for action. If emissions are not reduced, in the years to come the environment will change. The Arctic Ocean will most likely be ice-free, rain forests will go through transformations, and many organisms are at risk. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world. In this day and age, fast fashion is popular, but to make this type of clothing possible, factories use materials that lead to more plastic in the ocean, dump in surrounding bodies of water, and cut many more corners in order to produce clothing quickly. In the end, most of this clothing is thrown away. As it decomposes in landfills, clothing often emitts greenhouse gases, adding to global warming. Only about 15% of clothing is donated to thrift stores. By donating and shopping at thrift stores, we are helping the environment by reducing the amount of clothing in landfills.
Thrift Stores Helping the Community
Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army can be found throughout the area. They help members of the community provide for their families and themselves with ease. Every week there is family day, where almost all clothing is 50% off, and at least one type of clothing is on sale everyday! Donation centers are very accessible, and clothing that would otherwise end up in a landfill is resold.
Goodwill:
Goodwill does not only help the community, but they help the environment as well. Clothing donated to Goodwill is sold in stores at low prices so that most members of the community can afford them. The clothing that is not sold does not end up in landfills, it is recycled by other companies. So, even if the clothing donated but not sold, it will be kept out of landfills.
Plato's Closet:
Plato's Closet is another company that provides used clothing at a lower price. Plato's Closet does not except every donation, but they pay the person donating for their clothing. Because of this sorting, Plato's Closet is a good place to find name brand items at a lower price.
Thrifty Shopper:
Thrifty Shopper is a smaller franchise of thrift stores that helps the community a great deal. Not only do they offer clothing at low prices, but they also sell appliances that are normally expensive, like washing machines, for lower prices. Thrifty Shopper is owned by the Rescue Mission, an organization that helps give homeless people homes and feed people in need. These thrift stores provide money for the Rescue Mission to operate and continue to help the community.