Ran across an article in the New York Times that I thought was quite interesting. American classic denim company Levi Strauss has launched a “green” initiative partnering with Goodwill. New care tags will be sewn in challenging consumers to line dry the brand’s jeans and donate them to the aforementioned second-hand giant when they are ready to be expunged from their wardrobe.
Leading to idea was an internal life-cycle assessment on the iconic 501s from cotton fields to closets that uncovered some astounding f
igures:
- Each pair of 501s is responsible for 32 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its lifetime – the equivalent of 78 miles driven by the average automobile in the United States
- 3,000 liters of water – enough for 53 seven-minute showers, or 575 toilet flushes – were used over the product’s life cycle. (That included the amount of water needed to grow the cotton and keep the clothes clean)
- About 400 megajoules of energy were consumed over the life of the jeans, enough to power a personal computer for 556 hours
Pretty impressive “who’d a thunk it” moment, as many of us are concerned about our water and energy consumption, but probably don’t even consider the processes prior to the garments ever gracing our Adonis-like stems (um…ok). Hopefully, the campaign doesn’t bring a headache for homeowners still trying to fight this ongoing battle.
So think next time you are six beers in and juggling a bowl of hot chili over your lap, other than the obvious risks, you can help save the whales.
Read the entire article here.
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