The goal of this challenge is to take inventory of your wardrobe for organic or recycled cotton.  Organic cotton* is grown using low environmental impact methods, like a reduction in toxic pesticides and genetically engineered seed.  When cotton is recycled, in denim for example, the material is turned back into its fiber state which then goes on to become a variety of different materials.  Textiles that fit the organic criteria are labeled with the GOTS seal (Global Organic Textile Standard)**

So I went on a hunt.  I scoured through my closet, my drawers, and even the clothes that had been sitting in my laundry basket.  And guess what? I didn’t find any organic or recycled cotton products.  None.  None at all.  It was pretty disappointing, to be honest.  I had never really put a thought into what my clothing was made out of before now.  “Is it cute? Is it cheap? Is it comfy? Ok let’s buy it” is all that I really think about when I get clothes.  But this inspired me to try to find affordable places to buy organic cotton.

The first website that was GOTS certified had super nice clothes and a HUGE selection.  But then I looked at their prices.  Eeek.  Most of their clothes averaged about $100. No thanks!  So I kept looking.  Eventually, I found a website called Pact.  Not only are they GOTS certified, they have a pretty decent selection of clothing for amazing prices, too.

Their mission statement:

“PACT ORGANIC unites the collective vision of organic cotton farming, responsible manufacturing, sustainable and ethical certifications, and values-based shopping. We believe organic cotton is the foundation for addressing labor and environmental challenges that surround clothing. Our mission is to change the apparel industry for good.”

Here are some other websites that sell organic clothing.

So not only is it better for the environment to buy organic cotton, but it’s even affordable!

http://organiccottonplus.com/pages/learning-center

http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html

This challenge was simply to visit a local farmer’s market. Luckily there are many local farmers market’s in the towns surrounding where I live, however I chose to go to my home town’s local farmer’s market in Kings Park. This particular market was less than 5 minutes away from where I live, and probably could name 5 other farmer’s markets that I know of that are near where I live. I think this is great for the farmer’s markets because not only is it easier and more convenient for more people to shop locally, it means that farmer’s can compete with each other as far as prices go. There were a variety of different produce and products to chose from. There were fruits, vegetables, personal care products, cakes, breads, pickles, flowers, and many other products. As you can see by the sign, everything is home grown and GMO free!

The reason locally grown produce is more sustainable is that it is produced in close proximity to the consumer, therefore the product does not need to be shipped long distances. On average, conventional produce that comes from the supermarket travels 1494, compared to the 56 miles traveled by local produce. However, many people do not often shop at a farmer’s market due to affordability. It is true that the price of food from a local farmers market is considerably higher than that at the grocery store. However, there are many advantages from buying locally grown food. Firstly, the carbon footprint of these food products is significantly reduced. Secondly, there is the satisfaction of knowing that this produce is GMO free, and probably mostly organically produced. Finally, as described in the documentary “Food Inc.”, each time you purchase food at a farmer’s market, you are “voting” for more sustainable food options to be on the market.

Farmer’s markets are not always just fruits and vegetables- a lot of the time local businesses will provide other handmade products. This particular woman makes different personal care products right out of her kitchen! The stand included soaps, deodorants, body wash, and many other products. Unfortunately the cost of these items were just out of my budget range, however there is no doubt that these are high quality soap items. Another added benefit of shopping at a local farmer’s market is that you can know that you’re money is going into small businesses and not in the hands of big corporations!

It is ultimately up to the consumer whether they will shop locally or just go to the grocery store. I think that although you might be paying more for locally grown food, the benefits make it worth it. Even if someone is not able to make the transition to buying locally grown food products, there are many other locally produced products that are much more sustainable than products found in the supermarket. I hope that in the future I can live comfortably enough to purchase food locally regularly, without it being a strain on my finances.

Below is a link to a list of all of the farmer’s markets found on Long Island!

Long Island Farmers’ Markets 2016

How often do we use a plastic bag one time and immediately throw it away? We find it that easy to buy something one time, take the item out of the bag when we get home, and toss that plastic bag out. We only use that bag for quick transportation and then we are done with that bag. This is a natural habit we’ve all formed.

Yes, it is unrealistic to expect to completely eliminate plastic in our daily lives. But, it is important to use it consciously! Reusing a plastic bag can convert the item that could’ve ended up in a landfill being stacked up without being given even a second chance. It’s possible to reuse bags considering we’re constantly using them for transportation.

When I went home this week, I stopped at a local boutique called Ruby and Jenna to pick up something to wear over the thanksgiving break.

I brought this bag back to campus with me because I stopped to shop while traveling back out to Stony Brook.

A friend of mine texted me the next day and asked me if I could buy a Stony Brook t-shirt for her dad. I thought this could be a perfect opportunity to reuse that Ruby and Jenna bag I had. When I went to the register to pay for the shirt, I told the cashier that I wouldn’t be needing a bag. I took the receipt and the shirt and put it into the bag and brought it back to my dorm with me.

Stony Brook Bookstore Shirt

After i got back to my dorm, I was brainstorming ways to reuse this bag. I realized all of me and my suite mates keep our condiments and snacks and coffee boxes scattered over the shelf and floor. I realized i could use this bag to stack the condiments in it because it is a sturdy enough bag to hold everything.

Before and After

It is not difficult to reuse bags because it was easy for me to give this bag three lives in just a couple of days. I may even be able to give this bag a couple more. Especially because this one is sturdy, I can make even more use out of it! It cost me absolutely nothing to recycle the bag and give it a place to keep my things organized and from place to place.