Sure, AI is super helpful. But it’s draining Nature’s resources to get you that answer.

AI makes it so easy to ask anything. It’s a powerful, ubiquitous tool that helps us be more efficient, and in some cases, completes tasks better than we can. We get it: having answers at your fingertips within seconds is a heady feeling. Your blinking cursor is eager – practically begging – to help you.

AI is undeniably useful. But what is the price of this power and efficiency?

On the surface, AI feels harmless. After all, searching on the internet doesn’t require a credit card or any significant amount of skill. It’s all in the conceptual, nebulous cloud, right? But the truth is: everything has a carbon footprint…and AI’s footprint is gargantuan.

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions an activity releases into the environment. These gases – mainly carbon dioxide – trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere which fuels climate change over time. Anything that requires power – from driving a car to the foods we eat to the photos and emails we send – has a carbon footprint.

According to one estimate, global AI-related infrastructure may soon require over six times the water requirements of Denmark and its 6-million inhabitants.  This is problematic, especially considering that nearly 2 billion people do not have access to clean water.  The technology that powers AI, therefore, adds stress to an already worrying global water crisis.

Circular Water Management Strategies Can Lessen AI’s Impact on the Environment

Innovative water solutions are essential to ensuring that our dependence on AI doesn’t futher exacerbate our global water crisis. Circular water management strategies have the potential to reduce AI’s water consumption by up to 75%.

According to the World Economic Forum: “Solutions can range from water optimization, such as advanced liquid and closed-loop cooling solutions in data centres and replenishment, offering the potential to address water scarcity and energy efficiency challenges. With Microsoft already deploying closed-loop liquid cooling, Carrier investing in direct-to-chip cooling technology, and Ecolab’s recent launch of a cooling monitoring solution for direct-to-chip cooling, the momentum behind advanced liquid cooling solutions is clearly accelerating.”

Thinking Beyond AI’s Water Needs

Some AI data centers are also thinking beyond the water needs of their equipment. In addition to deploying strategies for water optimization, companies like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are ramping up water replenishment programs that seek to restore depleted watersheds in water-stressed areas.

Companies like Indra Water and Kilimo are on the cutting edge of new innovations that are helping whole industries scale up sustainably. Indra Water is currently leading the way in waste water management, with new technology that succesfully reclaims 95% of wastewater with a 74% emissions reduction from traditional treatment methods.

Kilimo leverages AI to help farmers optimize irrigation strategies.  By analyzing weather, soil, and crop needs, Kilimo helps farmers irrigate more precisely.  This provides relief to water sources, builds back critical local ecosystems, and improves soil health.

And when those electronics are eventually discarded, that waste is difficult to recycle and likely to contain hazardous substances, like mercury and lead, that can lead to soil and water contamination. More stringent waste laws and ethical disposal practices are necessary to reduce the negative environmental effects of e-waste.

The Vampiric Energy Suck of Data Centers 

The amount of electricity required to build, train, and fuel the computational power of generative AI models with billions of parameters creates pressure on existing electrical grids and contributes to the overall carbon emissions of the technology. Training an AI model takes a massive amount of energy, as the program continually runs for weeks and months at a time until it’s built. Even after being trained, the AI program is still using energy to improve performance and source answers for billions of user queries.

Noman Bashir, a fellow with the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium, states: “The demand for new data centers cannot be met in a sustainable way. The pace at which companies are building new data centers means the bulk of the electricity to power them must come from fossil fuel-based power plants.”

Source: These Four Charts Sum Up the State of AI and Energy, MIT Technology Review

Energy Infrastructure Must Scale Up to Prevent Demand from Outstripping Supply

Energy infrastructure is racing to keep up with AI’s demands by expanding grid capacity. AI is expected to account for up to 19% of data power demand by 2028. Goldman Sachs predicts that power demands will increase by up to 160% by 2030.

Source: Charting the Data Center Development Roadmap in Key US States – Reuters

It’s important to note that our current electrical model is structured so that electricity costs are shared by all users. As electric utilities are scrambling to build new transmission lines and power plants, that cost is rolling downhill to residential consumers, too.

Reuters reports: “Among the top 15 states for planned new data center capacity, electricity prices for residential customers have climbed by an average of 16% since the start of 2024, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That price gain compares to a 10% rise in national residential electricity prices over the same period and indicates that hefty data center capacity pipelines may come with a side of local rate inflation.”

Source: Charting the Data Center Development Roadmap in Key US States – Reuters

There is some movement for data centers to shoulder more of the electrical costs, especially in areas where infrastructure is needed to add capacity. Resistance from local communities has led to the stalling of some data center proposals, and at the very least, has made corporations like Microsoft, Anthropic, and others make concessions to keep projects moving.

According to Consumer Reports, “Microsoft outlined a broad plan, pledging to cover its own electricity costs, reduce water use, create local jobs, and avoid seeking tax breaks. Anthropic, the company behind Claude AI, made its own promise to cover electricity price increases related to its data center development…Among other measures, companies agreed to ‘build, bring, or buy’ the power needed for their data centers and to pay for upgrades to electric grid infrastructure related to their facilities.”

All that being said: AI is – ironically – well equipped to help solve environmental issues.

AI has the capacity to synthesize data faster to help us tackle environmental and humanitarian emergencies across the globe.  One of the biggest benefits of AI technology is that it can identify anomalies and similarities in data patterns, and use that data along with historical learnings to predict future outcomes. When used to monitor our planet, AI can help governments, businesses, and individuals make more informed climate decisions. 

UNEP, for example, uses AI to detect and measure methane emissions from oil and gas installations.  Scientists use AI to forecast solar and wind energy outputs, and to optimize temperature control in buildings. AI even helps forest rangers detect the early markers of wildfires with the help of solar-powered gas sensors.  These advancements allow humans to react more immediately to changing and extreme weather conditions, and to synthesize data more effectively to combat climate change.

Such technological advances give us hope that AI could be a key tool in solving the climate crisis, restoring nature and biodiversity, and mitigating our waste and pollution problem.

Creating emissions guardrails and AI best practices are essential for our future.

It seems unlikely that we will go back to a world without AI. This is why it’s essential for governments, businesses, and communities to strive towards more ethical, environmentally-friendly AI practices. Greater environmental transparency and accountability is essential to ensuring that AI is used responsibly.

The UNEP recommends five ways the world could lessen AI’s toll on the planet:

1. 1. Countries can create standardized procedures to globally measure AI’s environmental impact.
   2. Governments can establish regulations that require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their AI-based products and services.
   3. Tech companies can reduce AI energy demands by making algorithms more efficient, and recycling water and electronic components where possible.
   4. Countries can incentivize companies to make their data centers more environmentally friendly through renewable energy and offsetting carbon emissions.
   5. Countries can modify their current environmental regulations to include AI-related policies.

In the meantime, we should be mindful of how we use AI, and understand its environmental consequences. By using AI with purpose and thoughtfulness, we can harness AI’s power for good, and drive a more sustainable future forward. 

AI’s energy requirements exacerbate existing demands for Earth’s natural resources. 

Earth Overshoot Day is an estimation of the day in which humans exceed their annual ecological budget. Each year, this date arrives earlier and earlier.  It’s not too late to #MoveTheDate.  Learn more about Earth Overshoot Day and the ecological deficit of the United States.

Celebrate the rockstars of Halloween and learn about the wonderful world of bats!

Bat Week, which runs from October 24-31, is a global celebration of the spooky creatures that are crucial to our ecosystems. Let’s dive into the mysteries of these nocturnal wonders!

Bat Cribs  

You can find these small, secretive creatures in secluded shelters like caves, tunnels, bridges, mines, vacant buildings, and even your attic. Bats are like nature’s detectives.  Their longevity and sensitivity to environmental changes make them reliable indicators for monitoring the health of local organisms and ecosystems. 

Fly, My Pretties, Fly! 

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. They are aerodynamic multitaskers that like to eat on the go!  From March through September, bats chow down on moths, beetles, gnats, pesky mosquitos, and crickets. Imagine having a late-night snack that is 50% of your body weight!

Incredi-bat-ly Diverse

Bats are the second most diverse order of mammals, with about 1,200 to 1,400 species worldwide. According to the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NAbat), eight species or subspecies in the U.S. are listed as endangered by the federal government. 

 Bat-natomy

• Bats’ eyes might be small, but they are not all blind.  They are color-blind and can see three times better than humans.
• Bats’ ears are large, mobile, well-developed, and extremely sensitive to sound. In fact, they use an acoustic orientation called echolocation, which works like an auditory GPS.  They emit high-frequency sound pulses through their mouth and nostrils to catch prey in total darkness. By listening to the returning echoes, they can discern their prey’s size, shape, texture, distance, speed, direction, and movement. 
• A bat’s echolocation is so sensitive that they can detect objects as thin as human hair in total darkness. Fascinating! Scientists who study echolocation consider these creatures valuable for learning about their environment and biological habits. 
• The thin-skinned membrane structure of their heavy-boned and muscular wings is similar to that of human arms and hands.

Humans can’t hang upside down for an extended time.  When inverted, a human’s blood pressure increases and our heartbeat slows down, which can lead to blood clots, blindness, and death.  But bats don’t have that problem!  According to Bat Conservation International, “Bats’ small and compact body allows its circulatory system to efficiently distribute the small blood volume in the valves in its veins and arteries to keep blood flowing in the right direction when hanging upside down.”

Parenthood is Batty 

Most bat species mate in the late summer or early fall. In early June, females will birth one pup annually. The pup can weigh up to one-third of her mother’s weight. Mom will nurse and carry her young in a pouch in the days following birth. As the pup gets a little older, it will be left behind, clinging to the wall or roof of a cave or other shelter, waiting for mom to return with food. 

Mortality for young bats is very high.  They are prone to falls, parasites, malnutrition, disease, and unsuitable places to roost. Bats experience stress like humans do, but stress for these creatures can lead to death. Properly placed nursery boxes near abundant insect populations help ensure lower stress and lower newborn mortality. 

Older bats can live up to 20 to 30 years. The most senior living bat was a male Brant’s Myotis that lived to be 41 years of age. 

A Fungus Among Us

The Little Brown, Indiana, and Northern long-eared bats in North America have dramatically diminished in population due to white-nose syndrome, a white fungal disease contracted from physical contact with unhealthy bats. 

The white-nose fungus primarily infects the skin of the muzzle, ears, and wings during hibernation, causing bats to wake up to daytime activity at warm temperatures.  This results in weight loss because they are using their fat reserves before intended.  Over time, they become dehydrated and ultimately starve to death before spring. 

When a bat population is eliminated, so much of our ecosystem is affected.  Insect populations increase, which impacts our environment, forest, and agriculture, as well as increased amounts of money on the annual elimination of pests. According to Whitenosesyndrome.org, “Bats contribute about $3.7 billion worth of insect control for farmers in the U.S. each year.” 

If you are an adventurous individual who likes to explore caves, please make sure you clean and disinfect your shoes, clothing, and gear after any cave trek.  It helps eliminate the spread of white-nose fungus syndrome.

Let’s give bats the applause they deserve!  Without them, our world would be a lot less batty and a little more buggy.

Discover more about our natural world with these One Planet Life blogs:

• Movement of the Monarch: The Importance of Pollinators
• The World of Dolphins
• Dig Into the Marvels and Mysteries of Moss
• Forest Snags: Dead or Full of Life?

Written by Yvonne Dwyer

Master Naturalist and OPL Content Contributor

Our Homes Consume Lots of Energy, But You Can Make an Impact in a Few Easy Steps.

October is recognized as Energy Awareness Month, and for a good reason. Energy is the dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations. Learn more about how to slay the energy vampires in your home and save on electricity.

While it may seem like switching out your light bulbs for more efficient models isn’t going to make that much of an impact compared to energy behemoths like the manufacturing industry, think again. By replacing just five lightbulbs with LED lightbulbs per quarter, you can save $30-$80 on your energy bill over the course of the bulb’s life. It’s a high-impact way to implement sustainability in your home, saving 91.25 pounds of carbon each year, according to data collected by One Planet Life. 

Households consume 29% of global energy and consequently contribute to 21% of resultant carbon dioxide emissions.

Those lightbulbs add up: if every person on the planet switched to energy-efficient models, a whopping $120 billion could be saved annually. In just the U.S. alone, switching to LEDs would save an estimated 38 million tons of CO2 emissions a year.

It’s not just lightbulbs, either. There are a plethora of ways you can drastically cut down on your family’s energy consumption and slay the energy vampires in your home.

Unplugging devices and appliances when you’re not using them is a quick and easy way to slash energy vampires’ grip on your power usage. In fact, 23% of electricity consumed in homes is wasted by standby power. Make it even easier by plugging items into energy-efficient power strips that you can turn off several devices at the flip of a switch, Harvard University Office for Sustainability suggests.

When looking at upgrading electronics, always buy appliances, equipment, and electronics with the Energy Star label, the Natural Resources Defense Council recommends. These upgraded models use much less energy than those without the blue tag. It’s especially important for large devices that are always running and may contain planet-damaging chemicals, like a refrigerator. 

One of the home’s most aggressive energy-eaters is a dryer, according to the Permaculture Research Institute. This one is an easy fix – hang clothes to dry – even partially – and get the benefit of fresh-smelling, air-dried laundry while cutting down on energy consumption.

Thinking About Switching to Renewable Energy? Take the Leap!

Renewable Energy is defined as energy from sources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic stalled many energy projects in 2020, the use of renewables continued to grow, accounting for more than 80% of all new electricity capacity added in 2020. 

Supporting renewable energy is also good for the economy. In the Clean Jobs America 2021 report, published by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the Energy Futures Initiative with support from over a dozen states, organizations and foundations, statistics showed that about three million Americans worked in clean energy. Clean energy remains the biggest job creator across America’s energy sector, employing nearly three times as many workers as fossil fuel extraction and generation. 

While making big shifts in sourcing from renewable energy – like installing solar grids on your home – may make a huge impact, you don’t need to invest thousands in a home project to make a difference.  There are lots of ways to slay the energy vampires in your home.

At least 50% of electric customers have the option to purchase renewable electricity directly from their power supplier, according to Energy.gov. Contact your electric company to find out more information on where your power is being sourced, and ask if sustainable options are available. You may pay slightly more for renewable energy products and services to offset the additional costs power companies incur in purchasing and/or generating electricity from renewable sources.

Saving Energy Saves the Planet… and Your Wallet

If reversing climate change isn’t enough to convince you, consider this: these changes add up when it comes to crunching numbers. 

In a 2021 study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that took a look at an all-electric residential community of nearly 500 homes in Fort Collins, Colorado., researchers discovered that with a varied approach, savings really added up. 

With a combination of efficiency upgrades, Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS – technology within homes that help efficiently manage energy usage), and battery systems to minimize utility bills, homeowners can save an estimated $590 and 1.53 tons of carbon each year.

Shedding kilowatts from your monthly electric bill is obvious. But did you know there are government-funded credit and rebate programs that incentivize creating a more energy-efficient home?

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes an expansion of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (formerly the “Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit”). This non-refundable tax credit targets 30% of the costs of certain home efficiency investments, effective January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2032.

Eligible costs, up to qualifying amounts with a $1,200 maximum, include:

• Home energy audits 
• Insulation and air sealing materials or systems
• Exterior windows/skylights
• Exterior doors
• Efficient heating and cooling appliances (electric or natural gas heat pump water heater; electric or natural gas heat pump; central air conditioning system; natural gas, propane, or oil water heater; natural gas, propane, or oil furnace or hot water boiler; biomass stove or boiler for home heating/hot water; oil furnace or hot water boiler)
• Electric panel upgrades to equipment with a load capacity of at least 200 amps (in conjunction with other efficiency improvements)

There are a number of rebates available through this legislation as well. Also, it’s worth a call to your electric company to see if they offer any rebates for making your home more efficient. A lot of providers will recycle old air conditioners, refrigerators, and other appliances and add a credit to your next bill.

Reducing your energy consumption may not be as difficult as you think. Small actions really do add up. By taking the initiative and implementing just a few of these changes into our everyday lives, we can collectively make a positive impact on our planet, one kilowatt at a time.

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s spooky tips on slaying those pesky energy vampires:

Research shows that being around trees and green space lowers your blood pressure, slows your heart rate, and reduces stress.  In today’s blog, take a sweeping photographic journey to several national parks, home to some of the longest living trees in the United States.  We hope this virtual road trip will inspire you to explore some of America’s magnificent national parks on a future vacation!

That brings our road trip to a close. These ancient beauties connect us to the past and to the future, and are a sight to behold in person.  We hope you are inspired to visit these majestic trees and seek out the oldest forests in your area.  Get out there and explore!

Learn more about how you can support and protect our nation’s forests.

Trees are essential for life. They are a rich resource that give us oxygen, store carbon, provide shade, and stabilize soil.  But trees also support animal life, provide building materials, and some also possess medicinal properties.  It is time to love the trees and find ways to protect them and create new space for them. Your individual efforts matter!  Every person can make a difference.

The Old-Growth Forest Network is America’s only national network of protected, old-growth, native forests.  They are passionate about preserving woodlands where people of all generations can experience biodiversity and the beauty of nature.

Local tree preservation organizations like Trees Atlanta can be found across the country.  Trees Atlanta is dedicated to protecting Atlanta’s urban forest through planting, conservation, and education. With assistance from volunteers, this organization helps prevent tree loss, protect forests in the metro Atlanta area, and creates new green space. It has grown to become one of Atlanta’s most widely supported non-profit organizations.  Search online to find local tree protectors near you!

Take a digital tour of some of America’s most amazing parks on our blog.

Recommended Reads:

In The Secret Network of Nature, Peter Wahlleben invites readers to understand the energy and time it takes to become a mighty tree. Once you do, you will not be able to pass a tree without being amazed.  Read our review.

The key to making any outdoor excursion enjoyable is to be prepared before you head outside.

In our last article, we shared how to best dress for your next great outdoor adventure.  Today, we’re sharing how to pack for your next trip in the wide outdoors.

Here are the 10 Essentials You Should Have on Nearly Every Outdoor Excursion.

Preparedness can be the difference between a wonderful winter hike or a miserable experience.  It can mean the difference between life and death if your outdoor adventure goes awry.  

Ensure that you are prepared for whatever comes by packing these 10 essential items in your daypack:

1. Headlamp: One or two of these, plus spare batteries.
2. Navigation: Physical map of the area you are exploring, and a compass. While using your phone for directions using AllTrails or other apps is very helpful, you shouldn’t rely solely on it.  Your battery may drain quickly in cold weather, leaving you with no map or idea of your location and how to return to your starting point. Carrying a rechargeable phone battery is always a recommended item to have in your bag.
3. Fire Source: Waterproof matches, lighter, and outdoor portable fire igniter. It is always better to have two sources than one in the event that one may not work due to excess moisture.  
4. Water: Carry 2-3 liters in a wide-mouth Nalgene bottle or insulated wide-mouth bottle depending on your outdoor activity’s length and activity level. 
   1. You can bring a mini lightweight outdoor water filtration system such as Sawyer’s, Grayl, or another brand to help you gather more potable water should you run out. Water can freeze quickly, however, in freezing temperatures, so a water filtration system may not be helpful if the water sources are frozen. 
   2. To prevent your water from freezing, you can create a wool or fleece insulator covering to place around your bottle. Ensure the lid is tight, then pack your water bottle upside down in your bag since water freezes from the top.
5. Knife/Multi-Tool: The knife/multi-tool is vital as you never know when you may need to use it for first-aid, gear repair, or for cutting.  
6. Food: Carry a variety of food options and more than you need.  You never know what circumstances may require you to need it. Consider snacks like protein bars, fruit, nuts, cheese, sardines, crackers, peanut butter-banana tortilla roll-ups, soppressata or pepperoni rolls, and pickles. 
7. Extra Clothing: One or two pairs of merino wool socks, sock liners, an extra moisture-wicking base layer, bandana, neck gaiter, and gloves or mittens.  These are all essential if you are out longer than anticipated and are cold from sweat.
8. First Aid Kit: Familiarize yourself with the items in this kit before your adventure.  Make sure your first aid kit is fully stocked in the event of an emergency.  There are several types of first aid kits with variable pricing depending on the kind of adventure you are pursuing.  
9. Shelter: An emergency blanket should be a part of your essential items, as it helps with hypothermia should the weather become inclement. An emergency blanket can also provide protection from the elements if needed.
10. Sun Protection: Sunscreen is a must, even on a cloudy day.  The sun’s rays can come through the clouds causing your skin to burn. Sunscreen also helps to keep your skin moisturized during dry cold weather and helps with windburn. Don’t forget sunglasses and lip balm too!

While the following list is not required, it is highly encouraged that you consider bringing the following:

• A set of binoculars or a monocular help you view wildlife up close without disturbing them. 
• Trekking poles help take weight off your knees while hiking.  They also assist with stability and balance over hills, rocks, and uneven terrain.
• YakTrax or crampons are helpful if you are hiking on uneven terrain with packed snow and icy conditions.  They are invaluable and help you grip terrain while ascending/descending a hill or walking on level trails. 
• A small bag for any garbage collected on the trail.
• Journal and pen for notes.
• A camera to capture beautiful scenery and wildlife.
• Portable battery pack and charging cord, or solar charger for charging electronic equipment.
• Bandana
• Whistle for sending distressed emergency situations.

There are many resources available to help make your outdoor activity an enjoyable experience. 

Be prepared by checking out regional recreational outfitters, outdoor retail shops, and YouTube. Better yet, join an outdoor adventure group and get involved with an organization to help conserve, preserve, and protect our great natural resources. We promise you will receive so many joyful benefits in return!

Lastly, and most importantly, always leave a message or note with your loved one or neighbor to let them know where you are going.  They should know the trailhead or route you plan to hike and your approximate return time. 

Have fun out there!

Wear proper attire to get the most enjoyment out of your next outdoor adventure!

Getting outside in the refreshing air – no matter the weather or temperature – is good exercise and a great way to mentally recenter and practice mindfulness. Your outdoor adventure requires the right clothing, sturdy waterproof boots, a daypack filled with essentials, and a positive attitude. 

Proper clothing is essential for any outdoor activity.

To ensure you are comfortable on your adventure, you should first understand what fabrics are best for your activity and how to layer your clothes effectively.

Your body heats up during physical activity.  While sweating is good, overheating is not.  Excessive sweating, especially in cold climates, can lead to hypothermia.  Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature cools to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or less.  While hypothermia is typically associated with very cold climates, it is possible to get hypothermia in temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  If your body remains wet due to rain, excessive sweating, or submersion in cold water, you could be at risk.  To avoid this health emergency, layer your clothing so you can release heat and minimize sweating while on your adventure.

Understand the pros and cons of clothing fibers.

Synthetic materials are usually less expensive and are made from a host of chemically-based synthetics, such as polyester, nylon, polypropylene, and rayon. Synthetics are water-resistant and will keep you warm and dry as the heat and moisture from your body are captured in the fabric.  While more economical, the downside to choosing synthetic fabrics is that their production exacts a heavier toll on the environment.

Wool is a naturally grown fiber and is 100% biodegradable and renewable.  While it is a more expensive option, it is well worth the price.  It can absorb a significant amount of moisture before feeling wet.  Wool can keep you warm in cool, damp weather, especially when paired with a waterproof, windproof, breathable outer shell. The only downside to wool is that, once wet, it takes longer to dry than synthetic fabrics.  

Another natural alternative is merino wool, a microfiber material created from merino sheep wool that is wonderfully insulating and comfortable to wear with little to no itchiness. Like other wools, this material absorbs moisture without feeling wet and is biodegradable, naturally fire-resistant, and resistant to body odor, thanks to its antimicrobial properties.  As with other wools, merino wool takes longer to dry when washed.

Cotton should never be worn as a base layer for winter weather activities.  It holds onto moisture and does not dry quickly. Wearing wet cotton apparel can lead to hypothermia even in above-freezing temperatures, so avoid this fabric for your outdoor adventures.

Down is a natural insulator that is lightweight, compressible, and breathable, making this fabric a great choice for low-intensity excursions.  Down originates not from the soft inner layer of feathers found under the exterior feathers of ducks and geese, also known as plumage.  There are varying fills for down jackets that range from 600-850; the higher the fill, the warmer and higher quality the jacket.  Down insulates best when it is dry and is not recommended for use in wet weather, as it loses its loft and insulating warmth.  

If purchasing outdoor apparel is cost-prohibitive, or if you’d prefer to make a more sustainable purchase, you can check out your local Goodwill or thrift stores for gently-used gear.  You can find many name brands such as Patagonia, The North Face, REI, Arc’Teryx, Marmot, and EMS for a fraction of the cost.  

Now you’ve got the gear, but you’re still not ready for your adventure yet!  Before you head out, learn how to prepare a daypack like a pro and which ten essentials you should always have with you on any outdoor adventure.

Fast fashion makes large profits for big brands while exploiting people and places, driving thoughtless consumerism, and harming our planet. 

Fast fashion, the term that describes the production cycle of low-cost, low-quality clothing to meet the demand of rotating trends, has exploded with a rise in consumerism and the help of social media.  Big brands churn our new collections of clothing every week, fueling trend demands and adding to the vicious cycle. Unfortunately, fast fashion has a devastating effect on our planet.  It’s our responsibility to break the cycle and push back on big brands. 

How often do you find yourself shopping for the next addition to your wardrobe?  Americans buy five times more clothing than they did in 1980.  The average American buys 68 garments per year and wears them about 7-8 times before disposing them. Some garments are worn even less: they are flimsy, low-quality items that don’t hold up to normal washing and wearing.  Unfortunately, your purchases of fast fashion are funding this destructive force in our world.

When did fast fashion take over? 

Fast fashion began in the 1990s and precipitated massive changes in the industry. Up until the 1980s, the United States produced over 60% of the garments Americans purchased. Today, only 3% is produced in America. 

“Between 2000 and 2014 the price of most goods – everything from bread to cell phones – increased by about 50%. If something cost $100 in 2000 it cost $150 in 2014. But, thanks to the cost-cutting all along the fashion supply chain, clothing prices actually dropped. So consumers bought more clothes. Wore them less. Grew bored with them faster. And got rid of them faster. Throwaway clothes became the norm.”

From Fashionopolis: The Secrets Behind the Clothes We Wear by Dana Thomas

The true price of fast fashion

The clothing business is an approximately 2 trillion dollar business that employs hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is the most labor-intensive industry, with 1 out of 6 people in the world working in it.  The impact of the fast fashion industry is significant.

Fast fashion caused significant job losses in the United States.

Garment making jobs were moved off-shore, as work abroad was cheaper.  This impacted local economies.  The US garment industry alone lost over 1 million jobs over 15 years, about 75% of the workforce.  The same happened in many other countries as apparel-making moved to poorer countries who were willing to produce textiles for less.

The waste produced by fast fashion cycles has a devastating effect on our planet. 

Unwanted clothing creates massive waste.  Giving unwanted garments to charity is one way to avoid the landfill.  But unfortunately, only 10-20% of garments donated end up reused or resold.  The majority of unwanted garments are shipped to poorer countries for resale markets (which damages that country’s local fashion markets).  Sadly, the majority of secondhand clothing that is shipped abroad end up unsold.  80% of the people working in these third-market resale circles don’t make a profit.  And to make matters worse, that country assumes the burden of disposing of this unwanted clothing. 

But it’s not only unwanted clothes that take a toll on our planet.  The garment production industry has a huge environmental impact, using fast amounts of natural resources such as water, energy, and chemicals.  Surrounding waterways become polluted with chemical runoff.  The World Bank estimates that the fashion sector is responsible for nearly 20% of all industrial water pollution annually.

Consumers are consistently pressured to buy, perpetuating the cycle.

Consumers are increasingly marketed to buy more and buy cheap.  Caught in the cycle, they buy larger quantities of low quality clothing, increasing their debt.

While almost everyone else is paying the price for fast fashion, brand executives are making millions a year.  Some of them are the most wealthy people on our planet.

What can we do about it? How do we break the cycle of fast fashion?

Fortunately, there is a lot of power in consumer decision-making that can break the fast fashion cycle. Here are some ways to get started:

Assess the current state of your wardrobe.

Take a good hard look at your closet.  We love Elizabeth L. Cline’s practical approach, detailed in her book The Conscious Closet. She recommends starting with a wardrobe impact inventory: understanding the number of items in your wardrobe, percentage worn, components, fabrics, and country of origin.  Then, inform yourself about the environmental impacts of fast fashion. Cline extols sustainable fashion and the art of less & more, shares tips on how to make your garments last, and encourages readers to be a part of the change. Elizabeth’s book is a practical guide about how to say goodbye to fast fashion. 

Kick the fast fashion habit by shopping your closet or thrifting.

You can change your buying patterns while still looking fabulous!  First, avoid buying new from fast fashion brands.  If the deal feels too good to be true, it probably is. 

Then, take a consumer vacation by shopping your closet.  Use different apparel and accessory pieces you already own to create your own unique look.  Go window-shopping to see how you might style the clothes you already own in a new way.

If you must make a purchase, consider shopping secondhand.  Thrifting is a guilt-free way to enhance your closet and give a gently-used item a second life.  Plus, half the fun is hunting for a treasure!

Choose sustainable brands.

More and more companies are making changes to be more sustainable. They are changing production methods to reduce the impact on the environment and using fair labor in safe working conditions.  But be careful of greenwashing, where brands claim that they are sustainable when they are, in fact, not.

Paying more for a staple item from a sustainable brand may be worth the cost upfront.  These garments are more likely to last longer and are produced with the planet in mind.

Finding sustainable brands can be a challenge, but there are tools to help! 

BLab is a non-profit who is committed to identifying brands committed to environmental and social good. Their list of certified B Corporations make it easier to find sustainable brands to support. We are also fans of Good on You, which rates fashion brands to assist consumers.

Learn more about how to maximize your impact with our blog Your Dollar is Powerful.  Be a Conscious Consumer.

Commit to new fashion habits by joyfully tracking them on our One Planet Life app.

The One Planet Life app can help you quantify how your buying choices are helping the planet.  Here are some of the Joyful Changes you can track in our app:

Join One Planet Life in breaking the vicious cycle of fast fashion. We can support more sustainable and ethical fashion practices and still look fabulous! 

Other articles from One Planet Life you may be interested in:

• Fast Fashion is the Environmental Nightmare We Can’t Ignore

• Fantastic Finds at My Local Outdoor Consignment Sale

• How to Upcycle Gently-Used Outdoor Recreational Gear
• Gen Z and the Rise of Conscious Fashion

Teaching children sustainable habits begins at home, and school lunches are a great way to explain how our choices make a difference for the planet. 

As a mother of four kids under eight years old, I’m on the clock from the moment I open my eyes. Planning, preparing, and packing sustainable school lunches is a high priority.

As Head of Family Logistics, it’s my job to ensure my team has everything they need to be successful.  So even before that first sip of black tea hits my lips, my brain is already troubleshooting any delays to ensure today’s deliverables stay on track. I pull out the bento boxes and open the fridge. “Mom, I can’t find any clean pants!” School lunches are momentarily delayed while I dig through the dryer. 

Packing lunches in reusable containers requires a little more time, just as preparing meals at home takes more effort than eating out.

But I’ve found that my time sacrifice is worth it, both for our budget and the lesson my children are learning. As a family of six, we buy many grocery items in bulk – especially snacks. Our first trip to a wholesale retailer revealed that pre-packaged snacks don’t make financial or environmental sense: compared to the economy-sized big box, prepackaged snacks are several dollars more expensive, have a lower total weight (read: fewer snacks inside), and create far more waste. 

It bugged me to pay more for convenience, especially when it had a higher toll on the environment.  

We began using nesting reusable containers for lunches, which helped me avoid some single-use plastic sandwich bags and snack bags. But while the nesting plastic containers were fine for keeping one item away from another, the segmented top section wasn’t great at keeping strawberries and their juices away from cheesy fish crackers and other dried snacks, especially when jostled around in a backpack.

It can be challenging to pack lunches for four kids with varying food preferences. 

I generally pack cold lunches for my children, and I’ve found that bento boxes challenge me to fill each compartment with something unique day after day.  It forces me outside the sandwich-and-two-sides routine and allows me to tailor healthy meals for even my pickiest eater (who doesn’t like sandwiches).

Finding easy-to-make, healthy recipes is a step in the right direction.

I’ve sought inspiration from friends, many Google searches, and One Planet Life recipes such as No-Bake Energy Bars, Banana Bread Granola, and Mediterranean Pinwheels.

My kids also enjoy being part of the lunch packing process and are engaged in understanding why reusable containers are better for the planet.  At 6:45 am, my pajama-clad two-year-old is often found cross-legged on the counter, lovingly tucking something sweet into his sisters’ (and his own) lunchbox. The added bonus of teaching eco-conscious habits to my children is that they are also learning to be responsible and helpful.

I try my best to avoid plastic in the lunch routine, but I am inevitably more successful some days than others. 

Since starting my sustainability journey with One Planet Life, I’ve noticed that I have a heightened awareness of my choices and have successfully loosened plastic’s grip on our lifestyle over time.  A journey is usually not a straight path, but I feel each plastic avoidance I make matters.

And yes, at the end of the day, I have some extra lunch containers to clean, but it feels like a worthwhile sacrifice to keep unnecessary waste out of landfills and teach my kids the importance of preserving our planet.

Hungry for more?

Discover how the Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, OK teaches climate stewardship and offers students practical, hands-on learning beyond the classroom.