Fashion Design Schools: Why Earth Day Is More Important Than Ever

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Why Earth Day Is More Important Than Ever

Editor Takeover: Emily Chan

Senior Sustainability & Features Editor

When Earth Day rolls around every year, I feel deeply conflicted. Given the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis right now, should just one day alone be dedicated to protecting the environment? But then I remember that the very first Earth Day, which took place on 22 April, 1970, saw a staggering 20 million people across the US taking to the streets – amounting to around 10 per cent of the population at the time – following a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara. The impact was undeniable: months later, in December 1970, President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Today, we need an environmental movement of a similar scale – and Earth Day can act as a rallying cry for that. The latest report published by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in March was described as a "final warning" from scientists. But while there is a lot of doom and gloom out there about the climate crisis, experts are clear that if we act now, it is still possible to achieve a "liveable, sustainable future for all".

It's a message that's echoed in Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua's new book of essays, Not Too Late: Changing The Climate Story From Despair To Possibility. The collection highlights the role all of us can play within a wider movement. "It's so easy to throw up your hands in the air and say climate is such a big issue, I don't know what I can do," Young Lutunatabua told me earlier this month. "But we want to give people examples that show if you join together with other people, you can have power."

When it comes to fashion specifically, there is still a lot of work to do. This time of year is particularly ripe for greenwashing, amid genuine sustainability efforts. But only 45 per cent of signatories of the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action – which includes the likes of Chanel, Burberry and H&M – have set public targets that are in line with the Paris Agreement's goal to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.

Even then, many targets are still relative to the amount of products sold, meaning that if a company grows, greenhouse gas emissions on a whole could still actually rise. Last month, Gucci-owner Kering committed to reducing its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2035 – a move that other major fashion players need to follow, in order for the industry to play its part in tackling the climate crisis.

While the onus should be on big brands to reduce their impact, we can all be more conscious about the carbon footprint of our wardrobes. A report by the Hot Or Cool Institute suggested that we should all buy a maximum of five new items a year in order for fashion to stay within its carbon budget. Meanwhile, rewearing, repairing and reusing your wardrobe will also help reduce your environmental impact – check out Vogue's Global Sustainability Directory to find out more.