It’s almost time for Earth Hour! On March 26, millions of people across the world will switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 pm to spread the message of a low-carbon lifestyle.
Earth Hour can be a great sign of solidarity, but it’s not enough—we need to go beyond the hour, and not just save electricity, but also look at ways of living a more eco friendly life. Here are our tips for going beyond earth hour—the fashionable way.
Tip 1: Shop local.
That’s easier said than done, of course. And we all want the Made in China/ Turkey/ Morocco Zara tops and Mango dresses. Even the Made in India labelled garments at international brand stores will probably have travelled around the world and come back. But we can look for chic alternatives that are locally-made and don’t have such a long travel tale to tell. Why just clothes? You can buy Indian skin care products as well.
Tip 2: Wear eco chic.
If Colin Firth and his wife Livia Firth can wear eco-friendly red carpet outfits, why can’t we? If we look hard enough, there are eco chic clothes out there. Lots of designers are using organic materials that support local communities, so there’s a smaller carbon footprint as well. Try Ela’s dresses (available at Bombay Electric (Mumbai), Verandah (Bangalore) and Anonym (Hyderabad)).
Tip 3: Shop sensibly.
Think twice, how many yellow blouses do you really, really need? Each garment you buy later becomes wastage or throwaway once the season or trend is over. So don’t go wild at the mall; instead, think carefully before buying and invest in some seasonless classics (like LBDs). This will also save you a bunch of money and wardrobe space.
Tip 4: Recycle.
Some beauty brands love recycling, like The Body Shop and MAC. You can give back used bottles, containers, tubes and jars to them for recycling, and maybe get some freebies in return. What could be better than that?
Tip 5: Shop at one go.
Make a list of things you want to buy and keep aside enough time to finish all your shopping in one visit. Avoid making several trips to the mall, shopping centre or street market, you’ll pollute less!
Stay chic!