Sustainable Living: From Denim Waste to Useful Home Items, blog #8

Let me tell you the story about a pile of discarded jeans repurposed into useful things.

A few years ago, I was searching for a vintage Sears Kenmore sewing machine. The ones with a solid metal body and a strong motor…one built to last a lifetime, as long as it was well-maintained. After seeing a listing, I drove one hour to meet with the seller. After the typical meet ‘n greet salutations, I went to work examining the machine while chatting with the sellers. Their story is interesting! Both of them worked in the coal mines in Kentucky all their lives and retired to Atlanta. They were salt-of-the-earth people, no pretenses, no hidden agendas, polite, friendly, calm, and honest. They appeared to be in their late 60s or early 70s, but probably were older due to years in the coal mines. Unfortunately, the sewing machine was not working well, and I had to decline. Upon departing, the woman asked me if I wanted a pile of deconstructed old jeans she and her husband had outgrown. Without knowing what I was going to do with them, I graciously accepted.

Fast forward a few years. I am now experimenting with the pile of denim, and it is an interesting process. By reimagining textile waste with paintbrushes and bleach, a new usable fabric is created, which is then repurposed into useful items that everyone uses on a daily basis. Going through this creative process with discarded denim, I am contributing to sustainability, the circular economy, zero waste philosophy, and caring for the earth.

photo of pile of deconstructed denim jeans waiting for upcycling repurpose sustainable products
photo of pile of deconstructed denim jeans on hardwood oak floor

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of
difference you want to make.

Dr. Jane Goodall

From Textile Waste Headed To The Landfills To Useful Upcycled Items For The Home

Example 1: Denim Coasters

photo of 8 upcycled denim coasters with bleach painting in abstracts designs
closeup photo of upcycled denim with dragonfly painted with bleach
denim pants repurposed to coasters with bleach painted abstract designs

Example 2: Denim Potholders

photo of 4 denim squares with bleach painting, strips of colorful bias tape and 100% cotton batting
photo of 8 denim squares with bleach painting designs on white background
photo is of upcycled denim jeans to sustainable kitchen accessories, build circular economy
discarded denim jeans upcycled to potholders using sustainable practices.

The Benefits of Upcycling, Repurposing, Reusing, Reviving, Recycling

Embrace the “Buyerarchy of Needs”

Tell us your upcycled story! We want to hear about it.

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Embrace the “Buyerarchy of Needs”, blog #7

Have you heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

If not, search the internet to read more. This post is not about Abraham Maslow, but rather about Sarah Lazarovic, who coined the phrase, “Buyerarchy of Needs,” and borrowed the Needs pyramid to apply alternatives to buying new clothes, especially fast fashion brands. Click here for a list of these fast fashion brands.

For those who don’t know where or how to start converting from a buyer mentality to a sustainable economy, the Buyerarchy of Needs shows you the way. To become more sustainable, start at the bottom of the pyramid and work your way up.

photo of Buyerarchy of Needs by Sarah Lazarovic, and credit to Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Credits: Buyerarchy of Needs, Sarah Lazarovic; Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham Maslow

Why Changing Our Buying Behaviors Is Important To The Planet

In the United States alone, close to 17 million tons of textile waste were generated in 2018, of which only 15% (2.5 tons) was recycled or reused. The rest (14.5 tons) was sent to landfills or incinerated, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions, microplastics pollution, and chemical pollution. This data is from 2018, and it is staggering.

The trend of fast fashion in the United States as a significant factor to climate change is the same in other countries.

EPA’s Textile Waste Data in the U.S (in tons), 1960 – 2018

Below is the data table and graph on the number of TONS of textile waste during the time period, 1960 – 2018, and it is alarming. Since then, the amount of textile waste hovers around 17 to 18 tons per year in the U.S. The fast fashion business model of throw-away clothing began in the early 1990’s with a corresponding 130% increase in textile waste from 1980 to 1990. And the amount of textile was has continued to rise since then. As the data table shows, most of the textiles is landfilled. All of this pollution is affecting animal life, human health, human life, waterways, marine and wild animal life, and the very air we breathe.

Data table from EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), USA of textile waste management fron 1960 through 2018 shows significant increase in textiles sent to landfills since 1990 t0 present.
Source: EPA.gov/Textiles Material-Specific Data, 1960-2018.

~Revive Repurpose Reimagine~

Here is another quicker understanding of the EPA data on textile waste from 1960 through 2018 in graph form. The takeaway from this is…we need to do less buying, and more upcycling, recycling and repurposing.

EPA's infographic of textile waste, in tons, from 1960 through 2018

Let us take the road less traveled by buying less, and doing more with upcycling, recycling, repurposing, and reusing.

photo of Buyerarchy of Needs by Sarah Lazarovic, and credit to Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Credits: Buyerarchy of Needs, Sarah Lazarovic Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham Maslow

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9 Simple Habits for Sustainable Living, blog #6

With the negative effects of climate change affecting every country and every individual, we need to be more conscious about how our behaviors and habits affect the environment and what we can do to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable in our day-to-day lives.

I was not always overly concerned about the environment because I grew up during a period when disposable consumption was not a trend. Rather, we valued the ideas of sustainability, upcycling, and non-wastefulness, repurposing, and reusing were themselves part of a value system.

But as climate change became more of a threat, I became more conscious about how my actions and behaviors were negatively impacting the environment, and that is when I changed my perspective from a disposable attitude to a sustainable, circular economy, and environmentally friendly ethos. The first thing I implemented into daily practice was recycling of plastics (all the plastics numbers) to my local recycling center. Eventually, this small start of caring for the planet led me to create and build my own circular economy focused on sustainability.

Jean Chatzky, author and host of hermoney.com wrote an article on 9 ways we can save money and save the planet at the same time.

Here are 9:

1. Use reusable shopping bags

  • In the beginning, it is easy to forget to bring reusable shopping bags on your shopping excursions. But after a short time, it will become a habit and part of your shopping behavior. Store your reusable bags in your car so you will remember to use them. Some states in the U.S. charge a per-plastic-bag fee to promote the use of reusable bags, which can get costly, especially if you have a cartload of groceries or other needed supplies. This is a smart policy for safeguarding our planet and for remembering to bring reusable bags.
  • As of 2024, twelve states in the United States have single-use plastic bag bans. These states are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The report, “Plastic Bag Bans Work” in 3 states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont) and 2 major cities (Portland, Oregon and Santa Barbara, California) reduced the number of single-use plastic bags by 6 billion. Enough to go around the planet 42 times!
  • Here are examples of upcycled reusable shopping bags made from 40-pound dog food bags – click here.

2. Switch to reusable water bottles

  • People who buy bottled water typically spend $266 per year. Plus, drinking from plastic bottles contributes significantly to your plastic footprint. By using a reusable water bottle, you are protecting oceans, waterways, marine life, animal life, human life, and the earth from plastic pollution and landfills. And you are also saving money.
  • Using reusable water bottles is healthier for you and the environment. As plastic breaks down, chemicals (BPA and phthalates) can leak into the bottled water and into the environment when discarded (not recycled). Bisphenol A (BPA) is a known endocrine disruptor affecting brain development and hormone regulation in fetuses and children. Phthalate chemicals are used to make plastic more pliable, AND are endocrine disrupters too, and affect reproductive health and normal fetus development. Don’t take these risks with yourself, family, and friends…switch to reusable water bottles.
  • Interested in finding what your plastic footprint is? Calculate yours here.

3. Buy used

Another smart way of promoting sustainability, and building your own circular economy is to buy used for household items, clothing, tools, cars, furniture, and many other necessary things. We don’t think twice about buying a ‘used’ home or ‘used’ car. Bring this mindset to purchasing other things you need to live.

4. Drive less, carpool, take public transportation

Driving a car has an enormous impact on the environment and on human health. Car exhaust fumes contribute to air pollution, climate change, and lead to respiratory and cardiovascular health problems. Pollutants in exhaust fumes include dangerous chemicals that can trigger shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter (pollutants in exhaust fumes) can exacerbate respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis, and increase the risk of lung cancer.


The exhaust fumes from cars emit greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. This leads to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and other climate-related issues. 

If you live close to public transportation, get out and walk to your local train or bus stations – it’s good for your health and helps build stronger bones.

5. Switch from paper towels to Smart Towels

See the page on switching from paper towels to using cloth or Smart Towels.

6. Donate your unused items to give them another life

According to hermoney.com, Americans dispose of 292 million pounds of garbage each year! And according to the EPA, each person produces 4.9 pounds of garbage each day. So, for one person for one year, this translates to 1,789 pounds of trash/year! Multiply this by the number of people inhabiting the planet, and the amount of garbage humans produce is staggering. And all of this garbage goes into landfills.

So recycling, upcycling, and creating your own circular economy are so important for our planet.

7. Drive a hybrid or electric car

If you don’t already know, driving a hybrid or EV is much better for the environment than a gasoline-powered car. With less exhaust fumes polluting the air we breathe and negatively impacting our health, there are lower levels of greenhouse gases impacting climate change. Plus, you save money by buying less/or no gas.

8. Switch to solar electricity

I did not realize that one-third of the energy the United States uses is from coal. While the upfront costs of installing solar panels/tiles are high, the benefits of installing solar energy are long-term. If you have excess energy, you can sell this back to the electrical company, which will credit your account for the excess energy your solar panels generate. The other upside is

9. Use reusable storage bags to transport bulk foods from the store instead of Ziploc bags 

I use to love Ziplocs! They were my go-to for storing food items purchased in bulk, storing cut veggies and fruits, and just about everything and anything. Do you know how long it takes for plastic to degrade? Up to 500 years! Click here to see how many years it takes for other plastics to decompose…you will be astonished and dismayed.

Now, I make reusable storage bags for the refrigerator, reusable sandwich bags, and reusable storage containers.

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Creative Upcycling: Sweater → Bolsa, blog #5

One of the tenets of building a circular economy is applying creativity to reimagine how to reuse and transform unwanted items into usable and useful things. One of the benefits to upcycling is the avoidance of discarding items into the garbage where it will eventually end up in landfills.

The two upcycled projects below do exactly this. Because there will be textile waste when repurposing any textiles, recycle the scraps at your local recycling center’s textile waste section.

From Sweater To Bag

Rather than discard or donate the black and white animal print 100% wool sweater, it was upcycled into a large tote bag with a zipper and lined with 100% cotton black knit fabric. Details were added to complete the upcycled bag, such as a 5 petal knitted flower on the lower portion and vegan leather handles.

Most of the materials used to create this repurposed bag were already on hand, but the faux leather handles was purchased new.

photo of upcycled bag with double black faux leather straps knitted red flower on the left side with multicolor black background
Discarded sweater reimagined into large tote bag
photo of upcycled tote bag or handbag from discarded textile wool sweater with red knitted flower on lower right with black faux leather straps
Upcycled tote bag from discarded sweater
pic of upcycled handbag from discarded sweater with vegan leather straps and red flower petals on lower left side with pink book showing at top has fabric white background
Upcycled tote bag repurposed from unwanted 100% wool sweater

From Shirt To Bolsa

Here again, is an another example of upcycling a ready-to-discard faux suede shirt into a useful and handy medieval pouch, large enough to hold cellphones, IDs and other small items. The medieval pouch is worn with a belt over pants, skirt, or dress. Another plus, you’ll be hands-free.

pic of brown medieval pouch bolsa with loop for belt on multicolored white background
upcycled medieval pouch (bolsa) using discarded faux seude shirt
pic of interior and lining of upcycled medieval pouch (bolsa)
interior look of upcycled medieval pouch (bolsa)

The benefits of upcycling, repurposing and reusing unwanted items are:

  • Enhances creativity and creative reuse of materials, and avoids waste
  • Avoids discarding items considered no longer useful or wanted into the garbage, where they eventually end up in landfills.
  • Creates a sustainable circular economy in your space and saves money
  • Reduces the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills and incinerators
  • Upcycling reduces air and water pollution
  • Upcycling saves you money and allows products to be used to their fullest extent
  • Upcycling reduces the strain on valuable resources such as fuel, forests, and water supplies. And helps safeguard wildlife habitats
  • Upcycling results in less hazardous waste production during the manufacturing process
  • Upcycling saves energy – as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global climate fluctuations
  • Credit is given to healtheplanet.com for ‘the benefits of upcycling.‘

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Smart Shopping Tips to Avoid Fast Fashion, blog #4

According to Common Objectives, a business network for the fashion industry, the global clothing retail industry generates about $1.34 trillion in annual sales. When footwear and jewelry are added, the total value climbs to approximately $2 trillion.

To give the figure $1.3 trillion a frame of reference, consider consumer spending on apparel, shoes, and accessories each year matching the combined GDP of the world’s 126 poorest nations. Or similar to the entire economy of Italy!

The United States spend about 50% less on clothing as they did in the 1990s, but owns more clothes than ever before. Also, Americans buy an average of 53 new items each year. Why is this? The culprit is the explosion of fast fashion! A business model of trendy clothes sold at super cheap prices that contribute to a range of negative impacts on the planet.

4 Key Traits of Fast Fashion Brands

  1. Extremely low prices: Fast fashion labels are known for slashing prices drastically. Some even give away products for free just to clear stock.
  2. Sense of urgency: Fast fashion brands rely heavily on creating pressure to buy. Their marketing tactics often include buzzwords like “must-have” or “don’t miss out” to push impulse purchases and make consumers feel like they need to act fast or they will loose a fantastic deal.
  3. Constant trend turnover: Fast fashion companies release new designs at a breakneck speed—sometimes daily. Their ability to replicate popular styles or viral looks and get them to market within days or weeks is a clear indicator of their business model.
  4. Poor quality materials and construction: Fast fashion clothing tends to look and feel cheap, which aligns with how it’s made. These items are often made with plastic (synthetic) fabrics like polyester and skip important quality features like linings, sturdy fasteners, absorbency, and functional pockets. Fast fashion clothing tends to look and feel cheap.

Understanding the above warning signs is only the first step. Learn to shop smarter—where to buy quality clothing and which brands are worth your trust and money.

Fast Fashion Brands to Avoid

Making yourself aware of fast fashion brands is another first step in knowing which brands to avoid. Common culprits such as Zara, Forever 21, Shein, Temu, Top Shelf, and H&M are just a few. Go to Commons.Earth and Good On You to check out other clothing brands to avoid. Many of these businesses often claim ‘sustainability’ by publicizing programs like tree planting or use words such as ‘better materials.’ But the real harms lie in the volume of clothes they manufacture, and the waste they create, damaging the environment with landfills of textile waste and discarded clothing

  • Shein
  • Cider
  • Revolve
  • Forever 21
  • H&M
  • Zara
  • Nasty Girl
  • Temu
  • Asos
  • boohoo
  • Primark
  • Uniqlo
  • VRG GRL
  • Edikted
  • Missguided
  • Fashion Nova
  • Romwe
  • Hot Topic
  • Pacson
  • Brandy Melville

Get Started on Ditching Fast Fashion Companies

Consciously moving away from fast fashion brands is a process.

Step 1: Be aware of the detrimental impacts of fast fashion on people, the environment, animals, marine life, waterways, landfills, and resources.

Step 2: Think second-hand before buying new. By doing this, you are extending the life of a garment. Thrifting, vintage boutiques, online second-hand marketplaces like TheRealReal, ThredUp, Poshmark, Depop, and Vinted.

Step 3: Take a shopping break for a pre-determined timeframe, e.g., 3 months, 6 months, 1 year. And stick to your plan.

Step 4: Consider rentals instead of one-offs: Rental is perfect for one-off needs, like a fancy event, a wedding, job interview or vacation. But the best decision is to wear what you already own.

Step 5: Research sustainable alternatives to fast fashion brands. Patagonia, Kotn, Whimsy + Row, and ABLE. Start with Conscious Life and Style for sustainable and ethical clothing brands.

Step 6: Learn to sew, mend, upcycle and purpose. These activities will stimulate your creativity and avoid further damage to the environment.

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Understanding Neighborhood Risks from Climate Change, blog #3

If you live in the United States, learn if your community and neighborhood are at risk to wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat because of climate change at Headwaters Economics, Neighborhoods at Risk. The website is very easy to use, very informative, with interactive maps, charts, and other resources. The downside to this free interactive website is that it applies to the United States only 😦

When you open Headwaters Economics, Neighborhoods at Risk, click on the Explore Your Community button. Then select a community, county, or state to identify a Neighborhood at Risk. For example, after typing in Florida, the webpage populates a map of Florida along with sociodemographics, exposure to wildfires, properties at risk for flooding, flood plain areas, and extreme heat due to a lack of tree canopies.

screenshot from Headwaters Economics, Neighborhoods at Risk
Credit: Headwaters Economics, Neighborhood at Risk

Then click Climate Projections (right upper corner) for Florida. Here’s a summary of the data:

  • HEAT: Florida is expected to experience a 116% increase in extremely hot days and a 2 degree F increase in average annual temperatures by the year 2050 (only 25 years from today). Consistent extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S., and economic stress is driving the need for increased air conditioning. Additionally, rising temperatures contribute to droughts, wildfires, warmer oceans that negatively effect marine life, and fuel hurricanes.
  • PRECIPITATION: By 2050, there will be more flooding due to heavier precipitation per year. Increased precipitation fuels flooding, flash floods, and sustained flooding.

Now, explore your community, neighborhood, county or state for climate change data!

Neighborhoods at risk due to climate change

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How to Combat Fast Fashion: Tips for a Sustainable Wardrobe, blog #2

Fast Fashion is a business model that focuses on rapid manufacturing and distribution of cheap clothing to capitalize on the lastest fashion trends. The central elements of fast fashion are cheap labor, child labor, cheap retail cost to the consumer, fast production, and synthetic fabrics at the expense of quality and environmental pollution.

Watch this YouTube video on fast fashion manufacturing in Bangladesh. It is an eye-opener to the fast fashion business model, the toll on human health and global environment, and the future of this planet. The only winners in this scenario? The clothing companies (some names will shock you).

Internet search on Fast Fashion Companies – recognize any?

internet search on fast fashion companies worldwide such as shein, boohoo, forever21, zara, h&m, uniqlo, fashion nova, primark, asos, urban outfitters, mango, missguided, gap, abercrombie & fitch, american eagle, victoria's secret, anthropologie, brandy melville, cider, guess, nasty gal, nike, old navy, topshop

What can you do to stop the damaging effects on our health, our environment, and our planet caused by fast fashion companies?

  • Reduce by buying only what you need
  • Repair by reviving, repurposing, and reimaginging = fixing the problem
  • Reuse by selling, donating, or gifting
  • Recycle by promising to keep it out of the landfills
  • Buy well-made clothes for sustainability by keeping them longer

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Turning Waste Into Action: CHaRMed Recycling, blog #1

Center for Hard To Recycle Materials (CHaRM), a nonprofit organization started by Peggy Whitlow Radcliffe
Peggy Whitlow Radcliffe, founder of the Center for Hard To Recycle Materials (CHaRM)

This story is about Peggy Whitlow Ratcliff. She is the founder of Live Thrive. It was originally a pop-up hazardous waste collection event. The event grew into something much larger. From her initial need to dispose of harmful garden pesticides to the launch of the Center For Hard To Recycle Materials (CHaRMed), the nonprofit organization has grown into 2 recycling and collection locations. And CHaRM draws thousands of residents who want to make a difference in their neighborhoods, towns, and cities.

Being an avid recycler and environmentalist, I was excited to learn of CHaRM 5 years ago. CHaRM recycles nearly everything. This includes plastics #1-6, textiles, electronics, and styrofoam. They also recycle cardboard, paint, mixed paper, and aluminum. Metal, glass, straws, plastic eating utensils, and more are also accepted!

Read the original article on City Lifestyle. What about starting a CHaRM in your town or city?

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