Video "The True Cost" By Andrew Morgan

The True Cost Name: Instructor: Institution: Date: Question 4 The video titled THE TRUE COST by Andrew Morgan, is quite informative. The garment industry is indeed the second most polluting industry on the planet, and with valid reasons. The industry has got so much waste because of the obviously increased preference for cheap and quickly-produced clothing. Such clothing, while convenient to acquire, also end up having a short lifespan, hence high disposability rates. Much of the wastes from the industry emanates from the production and maintenance processes. The dyes used in textiles are usually released to rivers, unchecked. These toxic dyes in turn end up in the oceans, gradually spreading across the face of the planet through ocean currents and winds. The impact on marine life is unimaginable. The use of cotton in the production of clothing has also had negative impacts on water security in areas where the cotton is grown. Due to increased need for profits, these areas, mostly bordering rivers, usually end up draining a lot of water from the rivers for the purposes of irrigation. Not ending there, the chemicals used in the plantations are also washed downstream from the farms, thereby ending up in the water basins. Fabric softeners and laundry detergents are also another point source of environmental pollution. These chemicals contain high levels of phosphates, which are a danger to marine life and also the human immune system. To reduce the waste, there needs to be a paradigm shift, especially from the consumers. Consumers need to embrace clothing from organic materials such as wool and hemp. In case of cotton, then it needs to be organic as well. They should also go for non-colored ones, since this means they contain no dye. While they might be a little bit expensive, it will help for the greater good. Perhaps a little legislative control in that direction can also h...