Go Green, Save Green! A blog post by EcoGoodz, a mixed rags and credential clothing supplier in the US

Inspired by Green Goals by Ashley at Hello Nature

1. Hang dry when possible Air drying your clothing saves you money twice: Not only are you saving on your utility bills by not running your dryer, but your clothing will last longer so you won’t have to replace/repair it as often. Need more reasons to line dry? Here are 5 good ones!
2. Build a compost pile There are many benefits to composting. Organic materials break down faster in your compost pile versus in a landfill heap due to better access to oxygen, which aids in the process of decomposition.
3. Take shorter showers It’s always a good idea to cut back on energy and water consumption whenever you can. Bonus: Shorter showers means lower utility bills (less water + the energy cost to heat the water)
4. Adjust the thermostat temperature As with goal #3, cut back when and where you can. And again, by reducing your energy consumption, your utility bill will decrease.
5. Unplug electronics when not in use ‘Standby power’, ‘vampire power’, and ‘phantom load’ are all used to describe the electricity your electronics use when they’re plugged in but not in use. You can eliminate this by simply unplugging your electronics when you’re not using them.
6. Cut down on unwanted mail Yes, your paper mail is recyclable, but you know what’s better than recycling? Not needing to because the resource was never used in the first place! Consider signing up for ‘paperless’ billing whenever possible.
7. Plant a tree (or two) Yes, yes, and yes. This planet needs more trees!
8. Use more reusable bags Paper is better than plastic, but reusable is better than both. You can even make your own reusable shopping bags out of t-shirts!
9. Walk when I don’t have to drive How many of your daily errands could you do on foot? Some? None? All?
10. Buy second-hand when new isn’t necessary Being in the wholesale used clothing (mixed rags and credential clothing) industry, we freely admit this is our favorite of the ten goals. Buying second-hand–especially when it comes to clothing and shoes–is a great idea. The production of clothing and textiles is resource-intensive; it takes a lot of water, cotton, electricity, chemicals, and labor to produce the clothing we buy, wear, and discard. Did you know it takes about 700 gallons of water just to produce one cotton t-shirt? When you buy used clothing instead of new, you’re sending a message to textile manufacturers and big brand retailers that they’re overproducing. Buying used clothing also benefits the employees of the thrift stores and secondhand marketplaces. Many such charitable institutions sponsor job training, education opportunities, social programs, etc. Supporting those institutions supports the important work they do.