Project ClimateLearn Blog

  On some days, I sit back and try to imagine what the Earth was like many years ago- with little or no technology, dense forests, crude tools, minimal carbon emissions, and simple lives. I would not necessarily choose that life over my current one, but if I could take anything from it, it would be the clean, fresh air they breathed then. As someone who has lived most of his life in the Lagos metropolis, I have come to relish the clean air that greets me whenever I visit less populated areas. Familar surroundings of Lagos, Nigeria  SOURCE: techpoint.africa This article does not aim to compare city life to rural life but to highlight the need to take individual action to tackle climate change. If you are reading this, then you are probably using the internet, so it is safe to assume that you have at some point heard about climate change and its effects on life as we know it. While most of the world’s internet-serviced population has heard about climate change, whether or not ...

A trader of thrift clothes, also known as Okrika, in Nigeria at his business. SOURCE: The GuardianNg In the year 2018, the fashion industry was responsible for more greenhouse emissions than the combined economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Data from the United Nations Environment Programme also show that the fashion industry is responsible for more emissions than international flights and water transportation combined, highlighting the need for sustainable fashion practices.  The fashion industry impacts the climate in a number of ways briefly detailed below.  How fashion drives climate change The process of producing and transporting clothes to the end-user consumes a lot of energy, most of which is gotten from burning fossil fuels. This leads to the release of greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.  The most common material used in making clothes is a form of plastic called polyester. It is durable and easy to cle...