the morning after and the fight ahead

Devastated.
Heart sick.
Gut wrenched.

I'm very tender this morning as I gaze upon the hopeful pantsuit of yesterday.

My husband sweetly consoled me as we said goodbye today: "I'm feeling sad, too, but not as viscerally as you are." The non-writer in the family once again providing the words I could not find.

As I watched the electoral counts roll in yesterday I felt the wind knocked out of me. Every value I hold for equality, fairness and freedom - my supposed 'American idealism' - stomped into the deep red earth of my homeland.

As a female environmentalist and social justice activist I have always felt the Trump campaign hostile toward my entire being - in my body as a woman, and in my job as an activist (and I am a privileged white woman! I can't begin to understand how others feel). He is the embodiment of the dying patriarchal hyper-capitalist world that must end if we are to survive, and he went kicking and screaming through the end of the campaign to hold on to this 'power' for a little bit longer. As the results were finalised I felt knocked to the ground.

I just kept thinking, "What do I do now?" with a US President who is a climate denialist? There is so much work to be done. So much more work than I'd even imagined.

But even while mourning, I felt enraged as well.

In the midst of my despair I attended an event I'd previously booked featuring my hero, Naomi Klein. From her books No Logo and Shock Doctrine, to her recent work on Capitalism vs the Climate, she's long offered me new ways of addressing some of the problems I see in the world. She pointed out that the election was the result of a system in collapse. The neoliberal system has failed too many people, and we see the effects through this election, Brexit, and even the GFC in 2008. And if we don't fill it with something that people can believe in, fascism will fill that void.

She also reminded us that we must dust ourselves off, gather, communicate and organise. This is our opportunity to halt not just the climate crisis but so many global injustices that become more apparent with the effects of climate change.

The event also featured a panel of inspiring and committed women working in the field, including Maria Tiimon Chi-Fang, a woman from Kiribati who spoke of the impending loss of her culture, her people and her identity along with their land should climate change continue to go unchecked. We also heard from Murrawah Johnson, a Wirdi woman and spokesperson for the Wangan & Jagalingou Traditional Owners Family Council, campaigning to stop the proposed Adani Carmichael coal mine. She also spoke passionately about the environmental movement as a fight for her life, her culture, Aboriginal survival.

The evening was a reminder that challenges can divide or unite us, and as the title of the evening suggests, "To change everything, we need everyone."

This is not the time to be afraid or to deepen divides. It is not the time to flee America or turn our backs on its people - my people. It is a time to come together, to talk, to listen, to really understand one another, so that we can continue the progress we've already made. The stakes are way too high to ignore it.

This morning, in the clear light of day, I am heartened by the fact that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. And by the fact that I know people voted for Trump who do not agree with his misogyny, racism, bigotry, or climate denialism. I know that so many of my countrymen and women do believe we are stronger together, and hold similar values to my own.

So I'll mourn, but just briefly.

As I type this I'm already dusting myself off, drying my tears, and gathering strength for the fight ahead. It really is the fight of our lives. If you haven't been involved in the climate movement yet, we need you now more than ever. Every single day of the Trump presidency and the Republican-held Senate and (likely) Supreme Court, we have to fight harder than we ever have before. It's time for all of us to put our hearts, minds and bodies on the line to create the world we all believe is possible.

And this time, the system can keep its pantsuits. We'll win wearing whatever we damn well please. 

love trumps hate in pantsuit nation

My favourite fashion story this week is also my favourite political story - Pantsuit Nation.

Starting as a private Facebook group for Hillary Clinton supporters to share their stories and praise for their candidate during this deeply divisive campaign, popularity has exploded in the past couple of days - at the time of writing there were nearly 3 million members.

This morning as I completed my routine wakeup Facebook check, my heart swelled from reading voter stories.

Women in deeply 'red' districts proudly donning pantsuits (frequently with daughters-in-tow!)  to vote for Clinton, commonly amidst jeers and negative comments from their fellow Americans.

My dear high school friend and her girls voting in California today.
Loving ALL these pantsuits!
(No jeers for her - that I know of!)

Dads for Clinton talking about their vision for a compassionate and fair future for their children.

Older women wearing white in honour of suffrage and all the women before them who could not imagine being able to vote for a female president.

Women who don't own suits borrowing their husbands' for the day.

Husbands wearing their wive's pantsuits to head to the polls.

A father honouring his daughter who died while serving in the military.

And story upon story upon story that remind me of the love and compassion I know resides in my fellow Americans.

My other dear high school friend (another Lisa!) on the left here, rocking
her blazer and 'Pussy Grabs Back' t-shirt, just back from her weekend
campaigning on the ground in Nevada. Rockstars!

Living abroad this election cycle has been especially difficult. There were many times I wanted to jump on a plane and campaign, door knock, anything to help Clinton win. I have friends who have gotten involved in the campaign, and I am so proud to know them. And I have been incredibly frustrated with the Australian media, which paints a picture of an America so divided that no one should want to live there.

But that's not the America I know.

Of course Americans have different views and opinions, and there are serious issues to be addressed by the next president, but we also value the right to free speech, the right to vote and to have a say more than any other country I know. That doesn't make us divisive, it makes us diverse.

Stories on Pantsuit Nation and the love that filled my facebook feed today remind me of my America, in all her beautiful, diverse, and caring glory. I'm confident we will see this love reflected in polls today.  And if for some reason it's not, I still know that it's there.

I voted weeks ago, but today I'm still pulling out a pantsuit. Sustainable, of course.
Organic cotton blouse and black blazer by KITX, blue Veronika Main trouses, which
are ECA-accredited. You can't see my secondhand black loafers, but if you look closely
on my phone-holding hand, you'll see two rings - wedding rings of my departed grandmothers.
I don't know who they'd be voting for, but I suspect they'd both be thrilled to see a woman on the ballot.

#ImWithHer  #LoveTrumpsHate #PantsuitNation

fashion stats : waste

You know that awesome feeling you get when you go through your wardrobe, clear out the things you don't wear anymore, and take a big bag of clothes to the local charity shop?

Well, I'm about to make it not such a nice feeling anymore.

Only 1/3 to 1/5 of all clothing gets resold in the country where it was donated because we are donating way too many clothes. And all the excess must be dealt with at the cost of the charity stores themselves. Some of the excess gets turned into rags, insulation or sofa-stuffing (excellent recycling!), some of it gets thrown out altogether because it's in such poor condition, while the rest gets bundled up and sent to developing countries.

Many countries have a bustling trade in secondhand Western clothing. The photo I've included here was taken on my travels through Tanzania in 2012, where the secondhand market I visited was about the size of a football field and filled with used western clothing at super cheap prices.

Aside from the fact that many of the goods were meant to be donated but were confiscated somewhere along the line to be sold (though some charity shops sell bundles to secondhand sellers and it can be nearly impossible to make the distinction), the local textile and apparel industries have been devastated as they simply cannot compete on price with these goods. 

This is also devastating from a cultural perspective, because for all the good that comes with free trade and globalisation, we also see a watering down of local cultures as we move toward a unified international 'look'. I remember feeling so surprised while in Africa to see so many people wearing clothes I'd see in Australia or America. I don't mean this in an 'exoticisation of others' kind of way, but more from the perspective that I value diversity and difference, and wished to learn more about a different culture. (And from a purely aesthetic perspective - I don't really want a world where everyone wears jeans and t-shirts all the time!)

Things may change in the future, however. As Huffington Post reports:

In March, the East African Community (EAC), which is made up of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, proposed banning all imported used clothing and shoes by 2019. The goal is to stop relying on imports from rich nations, boost local manufacturing and create new jobs. 

The proposal is facing intense scrutiny and may not pass (in large part to American interests in keeping the secondhand market booming). But it's certainly enough to make me reconsider my annual wardrobe clean out with fresh eyes.

If you have clothes sitting in your wardrobe that you're needing to clear out, why not participate in a clothes swap instead? You can organise one with your friends, colleagues or other social groups, or find one supported by a local council or organisation.

In fact, I'll be presenting at a clothes swap next week for Willoughby Council - if you're in the area, I'd love to see you there!

Of course I'd not advocating you never donate your used clothes to charity. Quality secondhand clothing makes a real difference to these shops and to people who are in genuine need of decent clothing. But before you donate your clothes make sure they pass the following test:

• Is the quality high enough that I'd give the item to a friend?
• Has it been freshly laundered?
• Is it free from tears, stains, loose buttons?

If so, donate with a good conscience.

And remember, we can all improve on this issue by reducing the number of new items we buy each year, too. If you're not buying large amounts of clothing, you won't have large amounts to clear out. It's a win-win-win.

academic vs activist

Last week I attended the National Environment Meeting at the University of Sydney, hosted by the Sydney Environment Institute, Greenpeace and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (previous co-hosts were WWF Australia and ACF).

As the title of this year's meeting - Hope in the Dark - suggests, we were coming together to consider some hard realities of the struggling climate movement and the role of activists to provide hope, and remain hopeful, for the public we regularly address.

There were a number of fascinating sessions on environmental justice and sustainability in everyday life (like food and shopping), and the panels included both activists and academics. A key aim of the day was to generate research questions for academics that would provide activists with knowledge they need to effectively campaign.

Aside from the wonderful ideas and debates that I heard, I was stunned to hear during the opening remarks that activists and academics rarely come together.

Really? I thought, truly perplexed.

I'm an academic (in-training, at least) and an activist, and I see the two roles as naturally co-existing. And I know a number of other academics who would also classify themselves as activists. My field was created to address issues of social justice - how are we not activists?

During the end-of-day networking drinks I spoke with a campaigner from a leading NGO who reiterated the differences, and suggested that many of the academics speaking at the event would not be able to help with her work. I thought otherwise, and suggested she consider one-on-one conversations with select academics to discuss her specific research needs.

Look, I get it. Sometimes when a 'non-academic' hears an academic presentation you feel like the person is speaking another language. Like many other professions there are particular norms of writing and presenting ideas in the world of academia (which I haven't quite got my head wrapped around yet, either!). But underneath it all, most researchers working in the fields of sustainability and the environmental humanities truly care about improving the state of the planet and its inhabitants.

So why this separation?

I could probably write a thesis on this subject, but since I have another one to worry about at the moment I'll stop here for now and state that I am proudly an activist and an academic. In my experience, the two roles feed off one another. Higher education opened my mind to issues in the world and spurred me toward activism. And working as an activist raised questions that I need answered to be more effective in my campaigning, leading me back into the hallowed halls of the sandstone institution.

For now I'll leave you with a few images that I regularly use in presentations in both my activism work and my academic work, which may give you additional food for thought about the need to transform the way we make and buy fashion.

Roughly 85% of people working in the fashion industry are women -
a feminist issue if I ever saw one! (Photo: Kowtow)

The UN and WHO estimate that up to 77 million people suffer
pesticide poisoning each year from non-organic cotton cultivation.

2.5 billion tons of wastewater are emitted annually in China alone -
a country that produces more than half of all global textiles.

As of 2005, the average American shopper was buying
69 new items of clothing each year.

See you somewhere along the campaign trail (or lecture theatre).
xLisa

eco warrior wardrobe

Long before I was an eco warrior, I was a corporate warrior. And for awhile there I was a corporate eco warrior (yep, it's a thing!).

Actually, I'm temporarily working at my former beloved workplace, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), where I spent my corporate eco warrior days. And besides the pleasure of spending time with old friends and helping advance the cause of sustainable places for everyone, selfishly I'm loving getting dressed for work every day.

For the past two years I've primarily been in PhD student mode (read: yoga pants at home, denim at uni) . There is the occasional meeting, interview, speaking gig or teaching opportunity, but for the most part my beautiful clothes aren't getting out of the wardrobe as much as I'd like.

Until now.

Well, for the next month anyway, when two days a week are dedicated to the GBCA - and to donning my best corporate eco warrior attire. Here were this week's choices.

A treasured (and comfortable!) favourite that sees a lot of wear,
by ethical American fashion designer Heidi Merrick

A sustainable take on a classic chic look - organic cotton
blouse by KITX, ECA-accredited skirt by Veronika Maine,
and boots by Ginger & Smart (who have ECA-accreditation
on their Australian-made apparel, but these boots were not made in Oz
so I can't be 100% certain on production standards).

What does your work wardrobe look like? How do you achieve sustainability in your workday wear?

Sustainability in the House

The Sydney Opera House, that is.

Earlier this week I set my alarm extra early for a very special date at the Opera House. And though an icy wind whipped through my hair and chilled me to the bone, all my worries were forgotten as I approached our iconic landmark, standing out against the clear blue sky and sparkling harbour. I found myself attempting a selfie alongside the excited tourists, as if I hadn't seen her over a thousand times before.

Whoosh! That wind!

The reason for my special date was the official launch of the Airbnb Sustainability Tour of the Sydney Opera House. Now the public (that's us!) can get beneath the sails of the world's most famous house and not just see backstage, but also see its incredible sustainability initiatives firsthand.

I had the best time!

There were plenty of eco-facts for sustainability geeks like me, an amazing music and lighting display in the Concert Hall, and a behind-the-scenes tour like you've never experienced that included the 'expected' Green Room and staging areas plus the waste management room and seawater cooling towers, among other sites. And there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions of the Sydney Opera House team and chat with fellow sustainability fans.

Airbnb Australia Country Manager Sam McDonagh
Sydney Opera House Director of Building, Greg McTaggart (who retires
next week - thank you for all you've done for the House!)
NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy, Adam Marshall
Credit: Anna Kucera

There I am! Listening to Sydney Opera House Sustainability Manager,
Naomi Martin, our charming hostess for the morning.
Credit: Anna Kucera

Last year the Opera House was granted a 4 Star Green Star - Performance rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). You may recall that I've worked for the GBCA, and I know that it is incredibly difficult for older buildings to achieve today's sustainable building standards and earn a Green Star rating, so this is no small feat.

Thanks to Utzon's original design (which included minimal yet durable materials, a pioneering seawater cooling system, and self-cleaning tiles), and the dedicated sustainability and building management teams at the Sydney Opera House, our most cherished house is also an incredibly green house. A couple of the most intriguing stats:

• The Concert Hall lighting system - which you see in action during the tour - was replaced with all LED lights with multiple colour setting, including 'heritage lighting' for those who like their symphony old school. As a result, there was a 75% reduction in energy requirements, a cost savings of $70,000 per year in electricity alone. And because the lights last much longer, they have to be changed less frequently, cutting down on labour costs and waste. 
• Waste Management - the House went from 2 waste streams to eight recycling streams including co-mingled (glass, plastics & cans), paper, cardboard, lightbulbs, e-waste, polystrene. They also work with OzHarvest to collect uneaten but still edible food, and compost other food waste. (Seriously, if the Opera House has figured this out - can't we all?)
  
  

More of those amazing lights. And once the music began - magic.
Credit: Anna Kucera

Airbnb came on board to sponsor the tours - making a connection between the sustainability benefits of choosing Airbnb over traditional hotels. Country Manager Sam McDonagh explained, "We're proud to launch this sustainability tour in partnership with the Sydney Opera House to further inspire locals and visitors to be more environmentally aware by learning about the sustainable practices for the world's most famous house."

Also in attendance at the event were Airbnb superhosts who are passionate about sustainability in their homes, as well as sustainable home 'royalty', Off-the-Grid guy Michael Mobbs, who owns the  Sustainable House in Chippendale.

That's Michael Mobbs in the hat - he's been off the grid for decades,
and right in the heart of Sydney!
Credit: Anna Kucera

If you have any interest at all in sustainability or the Sydney Opera House, this is an incredible opportunity. The tours run at 8am on Tuesday mornings for a limited time until 29 November 2016. Head over to the Sydney Opera House website to book now before it books out!

And if you need any final convincing, you get a super cute
Frank Green SmartCup, because disposable cups are SO last century.

global change award take two

My fascination with H&M and sustainability continues . . .

Are they are a fast fashion mega-retailer merely seeking the largest financial bottom line? Are they true sustainability champions? Can high-volume fashion stores ever be 'sustainable', no matter what fabrics are used?

One thing is for certain, H&M support sustainability innovations that have the potential to transform the fashion industry in a way I don't see from any other international fashion brand, and that's enough to keep my interest piqued.

H&M have recently launched the second generation of their Global Change Awards with a focus on supporting a circular fashion industry. This year the Awards are accepting applications for:

• Circular business models covering ideas on how to reuse, repair, share, digitalize or extend the life of products
• Circular materials looking for ideas on new fibres, recycling techniques, leather substitutes, etc.
• Circular processes aiming to find new methods around chemicals, water and dyeing, as well as 3D printing, demand-driven manufacturing, etc. 

Applications are open to anyone, and they encourage early innovations and ideas. Five winning applicants will be selected by a panel of expert judges, and they will share a 1 million euro grant and participate in an 'innovation accelerator' program with the H&M Foundation in partnership with Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Last year brought 2,700 entries, but I suspect this year will bring even more now that they are looking beyond technological advances and are welcoming ideas around business models as well. (Hmmm, maybe I'll submit an idea . . .)

If you have a brilliant innovation bubbling away in your mind, get your application in before the end of October. I'd love to see a SWS reader's name up in lights, and to see your ideas brought to life in a way that can transition this industry in need of change.

Find all the details on their website - and good luck!