The Earth We travel

Happy Earth Day. How are we spending it? Sheltering from a rain event. Unheard of weather has befallen the Algarve.  We have had more rainy days in the three weeks we have been here than they advertise happens in a year. The British, Scottish and Irish about, are not happy. Luckily, in between storms has been gorgeous and there really is only enough rain to make us appreciate the sunshine. Takeaway: the weather on the earth we travel is changing fast. 

Sobering Facts

We have found in our travels that people outside the USA are more conscious of the environment and more alarmed about global weather shifts. It is very common to have a conversation about 1.5 degree C. Not an everyday number I hear my American friends quoting. It is the upper limit increase in the global surface average temperature above pre-industrial time that we can live with (as referenced in the Paris Agreement). The limit the environmental experts say is critical to save the planet. News flash, staying under a 1.5 degree increase is looking almost impossible.

• But even if we could limit the warming to 1.5C? 
  • 70% of coral reef will be dead.
  • 6 percent of the insects, 8 percent of the plants and 4 percent of the vertebrates will see their climatically determined geographic range reduced by more than half.
  • Increased Food insecurity, as crop yields diminish and 
  • Decreased water availability.
  • Extreme weather events and ocean rising. And much more.

This information comes from a pretty reputable source, NASA. Link to the full  report. Warning, it is depressing reading.

The Clothes We Wear

This morning’s newsletter from Katie Couric talked about a source of global warming that I have never associated: clothing. Since clothing is just about all we own, and all anyone takes while traveling, I found it interesting and relevant to blog about. Katie reported the following facts that surprised me about the environmental effects of the clothing industry:

“The eco impact: The clothing industry accounts for about 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and about 20% of its wastewater. And of the total fiber used for clothing, 87% of it is ultimately incinerated or disposed of in a landfill. 

How your castoffs cast a shadow: The average item of clothing is worn only 14 times, and the amount of clothing Americans discard each year has approximately doubled in the last 20 years. And when that fabric decomposes in a landfill, it generates methane gas, and emits toxic chemicals and dyes into our soil and water.”

Katie Couric Media, April 22, 2022

Our Part

This made me think about some ways I have let the planet down. I have definitely purchased my share of “fast clothing”. It has long been my summer wardrobe strategy to purchase trendy, inexpensive clothes to sweat in all summer and then get rid of. The stuff I like, I wear many more times than 14. But I also admit I buy a lot of things I wear a lot less than that, say once or even never. So I am feeling some guilt this morning.

Conversely, there are some habits we do that are sustainable. Lugging around a suitcase of all your belongings causes one to be very attuned to your wardrobe. I buy new garments a lot less than I used to. The clothes in my possession now are the exact recipe of what I need and what works. I no longer have several choices for long sleeved workout tops, yoga tights or what have you. I am carrying just what I will use. Of course to get to this point, hundreds of pounds of clothing was donated. 

Donations on the Road

All donations are not equal. Do you ever wonder what really happens to the stuff you give Good Will? You may have just pawned off the task of throwing things away to them. It takes some care to make sure your hand-me-downs get into the hands of someone that will use them.

In our travels we have noticed that some areas can use our cast-offs better than others. In Croatia for example, second hand clothes have a bad rap; no one wants them. To lighten my suitcase we had to visit churches to find someone that wanted our old things. While in New Zealand, buying second hand is the norm. I am certain my clothes found a home there. 

One strategy we employ is to intentionally bring clothes on vacation that we plan to discard at the destination. Find out in advance what the local cultures need and want, which is probably exactly the clothing and shoes you will need while there. In the Nicaraguan rainforest everyone wears rubber boots (wellies, gum boots). It is so muddy we were going to want them for hiking too. We bought them and gave them to our guides at the end of the trip when we were done with them.

Whether you buy this stuff at home and carry it, or buy it at your destination, there is no need to take up suitcase space to bring things home that, you will not need at home. Instead use the space for purchases you want. Gone are the days we can pack an extra bag to carry our purchases. Airlines are so stingy with luggage requirements, something has to go to make room for your purchases. 

Re-Homing Equipment

As nomads we have had to purchase many items for specific events or trips. At the end we must give it away. Not the most environmentally conscious strategy, but unavoidable. We tend to buy just what we need at the lowest price point we can get away with. At the end of our hiking trek, river trip, or horse riding expedition, skiing, snowmobile trek, ice fishing, spelunking  (insert once-in-a-lifetime travelers wish list event here), or the occasional costume party, we give the items away. Six sleeping bags and liners, 4 sets of hiking poles, camping gear, plunger coffee makers, gum boots, waterproof bags, beach towels and a whole lot more.

The good news is the stuff we donate is near new; the bad news, there is quite a bit of it. The best option is to put it directly in the hands of people who will use it. We try to donate the camping gear while still at the trail to someone else in the parking lot. Housewares have gone to air B&B operators for their inventory. Better option, borrow the stuff in the first place.

As we sit here and wait out the rain, we have plenty of time to contemplate the earth and our stewardship. One thing Mark and I can claim, for travelers, we keep our our carbon footprint lower than most. We only fly when there are no alternatives, rent cars hardly ever. Walk an extraordinary amount and take public transportation for the rest.