The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Ohio Province has responded to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform by creating the Dorothy Stang Initiative for Laudato Si’ Action. While in the process of gathering data from sisters, associates, staff, donors and others in our circle, we were reminded that all steps we take are important - both big and small. We therefore introduce Your Little Bit of Good, a short weekly one-pager that focuses on some aspect of the environment. It is an attempt to bring forward small things we can do.

This inaugural week is on the topic of fast fashion. As we start to switch our closets to our warm weather clothing, keep in mind what you really need and how to purchase it sustainably. We hope you enjoy. Feel free to share.

Teresa Phillips
Director of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation

Prayer

Grandfather Great Spirit,
all over the world the faces of living ones are alike.
With tenderness they have come up out of the ground.
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
and walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.

Grandfather Great Spirit,
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all that live.

Sioux Prayer
Taken from: Earth Prayers
Edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon

Knowledge

Have you heard the term fast fashion? The fashion industry is not only one of the worst global polluters, but is very dependent on labor trafficking, esp of children. And so called fast fashion is the worst. Fast fashion refers to low cost, cheaply made clothing that is meant to be thrown away after a few wears. It’s made cheaply so people can “keep up with the trends.” The clothing industry is second only to fossil fuels in its affect on the environment. But the worst is fast fashion. The use of cheap, toxic fabric dyes creates water pollution. Polyester is a product derived from fossil fuels and, in addition, it sheds micro-plastic every time it is washed. And because it’s made to wear out quickly, fast fashion creates issues in landfills all over the world. (Read more about fast fashion here.)

Here is some good news. The sustainable fashion industry is growing. These companies are small, but will grow as consumer demand rises. That is where we come in. We are the force that will push the growth. Please consider the source of your clothing. Purchase quality clothes that will last decades. (Read about sustainable fashion here.)

One more thought. Before you place that Amazon order, be as sure as you can it is correct. Amazon often throws out returns if it would cost them more in labor to restock. This happens often with clothing. Nearly 6 billion pounds of landfill waste is generated annually from online order returns. That producers 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Action

Use the Ethical Clothing Search engine to locate a source of sustainable clothing.

You can look into your “Fashion Footprint” by clicking here.

************ Would you consider contacting your favorite clothing brands and asking questions about their sustainability? It is a good way to drive established companies to enter the sustainable fashion market.