Earth Day 2020: Be Creative. Have Fun. Save the Earth!

Almost impossibly, it’s mid-April and we’re moving up on Earth Day.  Celebrated each year on April 22^nd, Earth Day turns 50 this year – arguably with not as much fanfare as it’s received in years past.  Our focus has understandably taken a dramatic shift and, as a result, the world has slowed.  Steep falls in emission have been the pandemic’s most immediate effect with road and air traffic down globally to levels we probably haven’t seen in Earth Day’s 50 years as a movement.

What happens when we ramp back up?  Will our green recovery and cries for climate change be as loud and as urgent as they were before Coronavirus (COVID-19) came and rocked our world?  Will our focus turn back to finding ways to a zero-carbon future?  And, during this Earth Month of quarantine, what can we do to make a difference once those literal engines inevitably roar back into action?

As a corporate entity, Lush Decor is committed to helping reduce our imprint on the environment wherever we can.  We offer products made from recycled cotton or other sustainable sources.  We recently became OEKO-TEX certified – which means the fabric, dyes and all the components of a product have been tested in an independent lab and certified against a list of more than 350 harmful chemicals and substances. We are also mindful when we design packaging for our products to help reduce waste.  Of course, we can do more, and we continue to evaluate strategies that make us more efficient and align with our commitment to help the environment.

While a group beach clean is probably not on your Earth Day agenda, there are other ways you can honor the day and make a difference.  Did you know that the average American throws away nearly 70 pounds of textiles per year?  That takes up about 5% of all landfill space in this country. 

Donate.  Reuse.  Recycle.  Upcycle.  Most of us are home a lot more these days and we’ve been hearing from you that spring cleaning has become a top activity.  As you’re thinning out your clothes closets and getting ready for the day the donation centers re-open, don’t forget about your aging home textiles.  You may think it’s kind of gross to donate your old (but washed), gently used sheets, towels, comforters or even pillows, but homeless shelters and animal shelters or sanctuaries are very much in need of these items.

If you have the space, these same items make terrific drop cloths for painting, picnic/beach blankets (for when we get to congregate in public again!) or cleaning rags. Need a fun activity to enjoy with your kids? Make a fort or a tent. Or tear up that fabric into strips and braid together for a chew toy for Fido!  You can even fashion into fun customs for your next Zoom party.

If none of the above ideas appeal to you, check into local community organizations who will take those items off your hands. They’ll remove any sewn-in buttons or zippers for re-use and recycle or upcycle the fabric into fibers for producing things like home furnishings, insulation, sound proofing and home building materials. 

There are a lot of different ways to promote fabric recycling!  Be creative.  Have fun.  Save the Earth!