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Clothing
and Environmental Responsibility
Program
Area
This activity
is designed for Grade 10 Advanced and General Family Studies Clothing
courses, specifically within Core Unit 2, Clothing as a Means
of Communication. It addresses objective g on page 57 of the Family
Studies Curriculum Guideline, 1987.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching,
learning and evaluation will focus on the student’s ability
to:
- Consider
the problem of making environmentally responsible clothing choices;
- Develop
environmentally sound personal garment buying strategies.
Classroom
Development
- Investigate
the criteria by which environmentally responsible “green”
consumers select or reject garment choices by using the suggested
resources and sharing answers.
- Summarize
these concepts on the student worksheet.
- Develop
personal criteria with sample problems.
Possible extension activity/class project: Students assemble
a “best buy” page with the information gathered on
comparison sheets.
Timing
Allow one
70 min period for students to complete this activity.
Resources
The
Canadian Green Consumer Guide. Page 58
The
Canadian Junior Green Guide. Pages 88-89
The
Young Persons Guide to Saving the Planet. Pages 24-25
Your
Green Home. TVO video-Part 1 Your Garbage
Cross-disciplinary Links
This activity cross-links the Self and Society program with the
Languages and Arts programs. Students are requested to write their
answers in complete sentences. Artistic skills are further developed
by sketching some answers.
Clothing and Environmental Responsibility
Answer
Sheet
- natural
textiles (“green” organically grown cotton); good
quality/durability/strong construction/built to last; styles
that will endure (not fads); minimal or no packaging; easy maintenance-wash
and wear, colourfast
- synthetic
textiles; poor construction; fad styles; over-packaging (men’s
dress shirts); garments requiring dry-cleaning
- variety
of answers (Roots, Tilley Endurables, Northern Lights)
- recognize
that quality may cost more.
Being a responsible consumer of clothing does not mean giving
up fashion but it does mean that consumers must be environmentally
aware and make garment choices very carefully.
Answer the following questions with references and your own knowledge
and ideas. Answer in complete sentences.
- What
characteristics do environmentally responsible “green”
consumers look for in clothing?
- What
things do environmentally responsible “green” consumers
reject when selecting clothing?
- Which
stores do you feel offer the best selection of environmentally
friendly and appealing clothing?
- Would
you be willing to pay a higher price for an environmentally
responsible product? Explain.
- Attach
or sketch an environmentally responsible outfit on a sheet of
paper. Note and explain 10 features on this illustration to
justify your choice.
Investigate
the characteristics of two similar garments. On the chart, note
each characteristic and decide if it is an advantage or a disadvantage,
then check the appropriate column. Decide which garment is the
better environmentally responsible selection.
Sample
Garment Evaluation Assignment
Identify Garment #1:
Characteristics/Features Advantages Disadvantages
- Fiber
Content
- Fabric
Type
- Care/Cleaning
Requirements
- Quality
of Construction
- Special
Features of Garment
- Packaging
- Country
of Origin
- Useful
Life Expectancy
- Cost
The following
are some environmentally responsible improvements or alternatives
your family could uses when choosing laundry products and procedures.
Family
Wash Case Study
- Set
the water level to suit the size of the laundry load or wash
only full loads.
- Set
the washing cycle to suit the load, garment/fabric type and
level of soil.
- Use
cold water for delicate garments and colours, and warm for whites
and heavily soiled clothes.
- Rinse
water temperature set at cold is effective and safe for all
fabrics.
- Use
only phosphate-free detergent or laundry soap and avoid bleach
or commercial fabric softeners.
- Dryer
temperature setting should be set at a safe setting for the
garments.
- Dryer
cycle time should suit fabric type and size of load (See manual.).
- Add
50 mL baking soda to the wash cycle or 50 mL vinegar to the
rinse cycle to replace commercial fabric softener.
- Borax
or washing soda may be suitable for some types of laundry.
- Clean
the lint screen or catcher before each new load.
- Hand
washing may be suitable for some types of laundry (Human power
replaces electrical energy for washing clothes.).
- Air/solar
clothes drying is free and does not consume electricity.
- These
changes could reduce both water and energy use and the cost
of laundry. Cleaning products such as baking soda, vinegar,
and soap are relatively inexpensive. Garments washed this way
would be less irritating to skin. Gentle cleaning helps garments
to hold their colour and last longer.
- These
changes could reduce energy and water demand as well as reduce
the quantity of harmful chemical cleaners dumped into our water
system.
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