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A July 6 article by BBC reporter Victoria Gill discusses research on how much plastic microfiber is released into the wash water in an average size load of laundry. For the research, fleecy clothing was washed using typical laundry methods. An average washing load can release hundreds of thousands of microfibers from acrylic or polyester clothing. These plastic microfibers then go down the drain and into the environment. I stopped buying those soft fuzzy acrylic sweaters years ago because they lost their soft fuzz from only a few washings. The full article is at the link below.
A few ideas for reducing the amount of plastic microfiber released from your washing machine:
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40498292
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Every purchase you make has an effect on the earth. Raw materials must be obtained and transported to the factory. Energy is used at the factory and waste is created. The item is transported to the store or warehouse. As a result of choices made by manufacturers and retailers, some items are more earth-friendly than others. It’s difficult to know when you are making earth-friendly choices when you shop, because the processes behind creating those items are complex and not easy to research. However, there are a few basic questions that apply to most purchases. The first question is - do I need this? It is easy to end up with too much “stuff” that you don’t really want or need. Another question is whether the item is durable enough to give good service for several years - or too durable for a short period of intended use (disposable plastic forks and spoons).
The article at the link below discusses some ideas to consider when deciding which items to purchase. https://www.thoughtco.com/eco-conscious-shopping-3954576 Many of us keep a variety of frozen food items in our freezer at home so that we don’t have to make as many trips to the grocery store. We can increase the sustainability gains by planning ahead. If an item needs to be defrosted before it can be cooked, put it in the refrigerator the day before. You won’t use extra energy to defrost the food in the microwave or on the stove, and also the refrigerator will require less energy to operate. The frozen item will absorb warmth from other items inside the refrigerator, so the refrigerator doesn’t need to use energy to remove that warmth to keep the food cold.
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