The environmental impact of poor quality
The most ecological object is the one you don’t buy! (But you can rent it 😉 )
Nowadays, people prefer to buy cheap stuff more often, instead of buying more expensive and better-quality items and keeping them for longer.
Why do people prefer to buy cheap stuff often?
In times of crisis, with record inflation rates and constantly rising commodity prices, being close to the money is a necessity.
We think about the state of our wallet today and not necessarily about tomorrow. You think you’re getting a good deal on the spot without even thinking about sustainability.
This is even more true in the textile industry with “fast fashion”. Buying clothes online has become a form of hobby for some consumers. A study conducted in 2013 by the Urban Land Institute explains that 50% of men and 70% of women consider shopping as a form of entertainment.
We buy stuff we only need for a short time and will never use again, just because it’s cheap. Which brings us to the second part.
The environmental impact of poor quality
But cheap is also often poor quality, and has terrible environmental implications: low wages, poor working conditions, plastic waste, single use pollution.
There is an abuse of raw materials such as water. According to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), more than 4% of water consumption worldwide is allocated to the textile industry for example.
These are not the only natural resources being depleted by fashion. Deforestation is increasing daily to meet the need for plant-based textile fibres (linen, organic cotton, etc.). Cotton alone accounts for more than ¼ of the annual production of T-shirts, shirts and jeans.
Wildlife and animal resources (fur, leather, etc.) are not spared by this new fashion either. This new fashion has a huge impact on the planet and its biodiversity. Faced with the depletion of resources and global warming.
The poor quality also uses a lot of plastic which is known to be harmful to the environment and human health.
Not to mention the working conditions where the staff is often exploited on the assembly line, working very long hours and being very often underpaid. Not to mention the fact that some sectors also exploit children a lot.
How to remedy all this?
Renting is the solution 🙌
By renting, you can afford good quality items without breaking the bank!
1️. You can rent books from the good old library. You can even rent books from the internet as well as dvds, movies etc….
2️. You can rent clothes from online rental services and get great quality brands every month. For example instead of buying suits or special outfits that you will wear only once, think about renting!
3️. You can even rent caskets/coffins: did you know that this is often the most expensive thing at funerals? Hire coffins are a great alternative. The body is actually in a removable box inside, and can be buried or cremated after the funeral without ever actually touching the coffin.
4️. You can rent baby/children’s clothes: they grow up so fast: why buy tons of new clothes that you will throw away after only a few months?
5️. You can rent maternity clothes: usually, you need maternity clothes for 6 months maximum. Return them when the baby is born.
6️. You can rent toys: don’t go for the cheap plastic toy that will break in two days. Rent good quality wooden toys. If your child likes one of them, you can always buy it and keep it. If not, return it!
7️. You can rent tools: if you only use them once, why buy them? You’ll probably choose the cheapest, poor quality one and never use it again. Rent good tools instead!
Source : EARTH.ORG.
