Did you know it takes 1,800 gallons of water to make just one pair of jeans? That over 10 million non-durable tons of textile waste is put in the trash every year in the U.S. alone?

I am a 17-year-old secondhand and vintage-shop owner (through Etsy) who’s writing on behalf of our world’s waste imprint.

I encourage going to a Goodwill, thrift store or your community businesses instead of buying from mass-producing stores like H&M or American Eagle.

I have found that such secondhand stores are not only more unique but also have better-made garments.

There are already so many secondhand garments that we could be buying instead of buying fast fashion that usually ends up in landfills by the end of the month. We are accustomed to buying such cheap garments that contribute to hurting our environment and need to make a change.

When you walk into a thrift store, you could buy a T-shirt, a coat and a pair of jeans, all under $15. These stores have popular brands like J.Crew, Nike, Polo and can be found for 90 percent off retail.

We could be creating our own unique wardrobes and styles and also be saving our environment.

Let’s begin to steadily make secondhand garment choices, so we can let our Earth breath a little more. These easy changes to our lifestyles can be making quite an impact if every person just buys secondhand, even just a little. Therefore, I encourage you to start refusing the new in your life and begin buying secondhand.

Paige Jones

Cumberland

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