|Top Ten: Green Your Wardrobe| Buying clothes can consume a big
chunk of your budget - especially if you have kids and
teenagers. New clothes also take their toll on the planet, given
how much water, pesticides and energy required to produce
cotton, polyester and other fabrics (NOTE: 10% of all
agricultural chemicals and 25% of insecticides in the U.S. are
used to grow cotton. It takes almost 1/3 of a pound of chemicals
(pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just one
t-shirt.) Meanwhile, "out of style" clothes can end up in the
trash even though they still have a lot of life left in them.
How can you green your wardrobe? First, make clothes last
longer. 1. Buy gender-neutral clothes. Young children especially
are usually willing to share shorts, t-shirts and sweatshirts,
or wear hand-me-downs. 2. Clean less frequently. Washing, drying
and dry cleaning your clothes can wear fabric out and fade
colors while using excessive amounts of water, and energy. Don’t
wash clothes unless they’re actually