A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

I did a double take while reading the following sentence — “It is estimated that each year over one billion pounds of clothes and textiles are disposed of in landfills in New York State,” a fact according to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. That’s a billion with a B! 

Another fact: Each and every American throws away about 68 pounds of clothing each year. And the environmental impacts don’t end there: once in landfill, textile manufacture waste takes 80 to 1000 years to break down, generating about 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually, polluting waterways and soil systems, and contributing to the growing climate change problem.  

There are ways to lessen these impacts from clothing. An obvious idea is to bring your lightly used but no longer wanted clothes to one of the local thrift stores or give them away to members of the community by posting them on sites like Stony Brook Freecycle for pickup. Similarly, you can donate unwanted clothing by depositing them at drop-off bins. Some local charities like the Salvation Army, Big Brother Big Sister, and Goodwill also accept clothing items. Also recyclable are no longer wanted linens like sheets, bedspreads, and pillow cases.

When it comes to denim, the website bluejeansgogreen.org provides information on how you can recycle no longer wanted denim jeans by bringing them to a local retailer or through the mail.  

Another great option is to participate in the Town of Brookhaven’s “Dress for Success” program. Lightly worn, nearly-new professional attire can be donated, thereby helping women gain a professional wardrobe, a requirement in some professions. The Dress for Success office number is 631-451-9127.

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours.