This week has been a moment to remind ourselves about the human impact on climate change. We have celebrated both Earth Day and Fashion Revolution week, created to encourage protecting our environment and our workers. 

 

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated globally to show support for protecting our environment. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the celebration which was first started in 1970. It seems ironic that the 50th anniversary seems to fall in a time where again we are reminded of how we have neglected our environment. 

There is a strong correlation between the current environmental crisis and this pandemic. Deforestation and the trading of wildlife have encouraged new viruses, air pollution has weakened our immune systems and mass globalisation has caused the spread of diseases far more rapidly. Johan Rockström, the earth systems scientist and director of the Potsdam Institute, has said, “We are living beyond the carrying capacity of the planet so we are putting human health and the health of nature at risk”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has not all been so negative Covid- 19’s shutdown has cleared the air of pollution, wildlife is returning to newly clear waters, and areas that are usually swamped by tourists have now been given back to nature. It seems that it would almost be constructive for a shutdown to happen on a regular basis to avoid the disastrous impact of climate change. 

 

(Venice waters) 

 

Fashion revolution week is held to raise awareness for those who make our clothes and the conditions that they work under. Again, this year being particularly important due to the closure of factories, cancellation of orders impacting millions of workers from textile countries being threatened by both poverty and hunger. This year’s campaign is aimed to rebuild a fashion industry that values the people over profit as we come out of the global pandemic. 

 

Fashion revolution week and Earth Day have been a reminder in how we should be reacting after this pandemic.  We thought this quote from the guardian perfectly summarised the current situation  “We bulldoze into the last remaining places in nature and then are surprised when something like this happens. We have done this to ourselves by our continual intrusion into nature. We have to re-chart our course.”

At Deeba we are committed to look after our environment and our workers. Our waste fabrics are donated to an NGO in Delhi called Goonj (link), all of our packaging is created using recycled materials and we donate funds to wildlife charities each collection. We use digital printing using biodegradable materials and all of our factories are Sedex audited. We will continue to endeavour to do more.