Monday Dec 28 2020



we are saving the earth


join the collective.


The climate crisis is an existential crisis. Our lives and the survival of humans depends solely on the health of the planet since it can survive without us, so saving the earth really means saving ourselves. Overall society has been disconnected from nature, we view ourselves separately as though there is no relation. While ecology is at the heart of the climate issue, it’s not simply just an environmental concern. We can’t dismiss that it’s also an economical and societal problem - it’s about human rights, racism, feminism, (mental) health and social wellbeing, along with other interconnected issues that impact our livelihoods. We need diverse solutions that focus on equality, equity and justice.

From plastics to clothing, we’ve become accustomed to disposing of things without much consideration. Hyper-consumerism and the mass production of low quality unsustainable goods influenced this waste culture. It's led by various industries including fashion which is at the forefront of impulsive shopping behaviours and overconsumption. We’ve normalized this carefree mentality where we don’t truly recognize the labour process and appreciate the craftsmanship of the things we buy. We’re unaware or we avoid confronting the dark reality of where, but also who the makers are throughout the supply chains, how it’s produced and what happens after we get rid of it.

"What are we thinking when we just throw things away? There is no ‘away’.” -Sylvia Earle

By prioritizing to use random unwanted and discarded belongings, the goal is to create innovative and functional things from what’s seen as useless. It initiates this challenge of exploring different alternatives and trying to avoid brand-new materials as much as possible. We deserve a system where everything and everyone has a purpose and value, so we have to end the stigma that surrounds what we view as trash. We need to promote practices focused on circularity by rethinking and redefining our perceptions of waste.

We need to create a more circular economy that’s not just about material circulation to keep things out of the waste stream, it should be regenerative as well where it's beneficial for the earth and overall society. So with that in mind, circularity should also focus on social circularity — about care, community and building a culture of reciprocity that’s essentially a mutual aid network.