Neither food retail nor fashion is the top polluting industry; that dubious honor goes to the energy industry, which emits 15.83 billion tonnes (one tonne = approximately 2,200 pounds) of greenhouse gases each year. But the 3.1 billion tonnes generated by food retail and the 2.1 billion fashion is responsible for are certainly not negligible.
This infographic from Eco Experts explains why clothes manufacturing has such a destructive impact on the environment, including the fact that 85% of textiles end up in landfills. It also provides practical tips for mitigating these negative effects, including buying second-hand clothes from vintage or charity shops or renting outfits for special occasions.
To improve food retail’s sustainability, Eco Experts recommends petitioning supermarkets to be more sustainable and consumers making use of reusable food containers, if a local supermarket is set up to fill them with pasta or other dried foods.
