Day one – Monday 5thof November, 2018
Stepping out of my apartment in Hell’s Kitchen and starting the week. It was early, drizzly and quiet on the streets as I walked along 53rd to LIM townhouse. Picking up a coffee before my first class, using a reusable cup as a conscious step towards lessening my single use wastage.
After class I walked down 5th avenue, past extravagant store windows including the recent H&M collaboration with Moschino, their aim to use a designer brand to drive their fast fashion sales.
My second class was Sustainability and the Future of Fashion, in which we evaluated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
My final class was in Maxwell building, with the change of daylight savings, I left college in the dark at 5:40. Walking with the rush hour crowd to Grand Central station and taking the subway downtown to Soho. Navigating my way to 150 Wooster street, the location of Everlane’s Soho store for a sustainable panel discussion event.
As I stood in a long line down the street, overhearing two young men oppose the line, but quickly took it back as they exclaimed how grateful they were that this many people care about sustainability.
Entering the store through an installation of plastic water bottles suspended from the ceiling, they were offering beer made from bread and biodynamic wine to drink. The panel consisted of Lauren Yarmuth from global design company IDEO, National Geographic Creative Conservationist Asher Jay and Elizabeth Cline, a journalist and author. Before attending I wasn’t aware of who would be on the panel speaking, so was very surprised and excited when Elizabeth Cline walked on as last week I submitted a book report for my product development class on her novel ‘Overdressed: The Shocking High Cost of Cheap Fashion’.
Stepping out of my apartment in Hell’s Kitchen and starting the week. It was early, drizzly and quiet on the streets as I walked along 53rd to LIM townhouse. Picking up a coffee before my first class, using a reusable cup as a conscious step towards lessening my single use wastage.
After class I walked down 5th avenue, past extravagant store windows including the recent H&M collaboration with Moschino, their aim to use a designer brand to drive their fast fashion sales.
My second class was Sustainability and the Future of Fashion, in which we evaluated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
My final class was in Maxwell building, with the change of daylight savings, I left college in the dark at 5:40. Walking with the rush hour crowd to Grand Central station and taking the subway downtown to Soho. Navigating my way to 150 Wooster street, the location of Everlane’s Soho store for a sustainable panel discussion event.
As I stood in a long line down the street, overhearing two young men oppose the line, but quickly took it back as they exclaimed how grateful they were that this many people care about sustainability.
Entering the store through an installation of plastic water bottles suspended from the ceiling, they were offering beer made from bread and biodynamic wine to drink. The panel consisted of Lauren Yarmuth from global design company IDEO, National Geographic Creative Conservationist Asher Jay and Elizabeth Cline, a journalist and author. Before attending I wasn’t aware of who would be on the panel speaking, so was very surprised and excited when Elizabeth Cline walked on as last week I submitted a book report for my product development class on her novel ‘Overdressed: The Shocking High Cost of Cheap Fashion’.
The conversation was open, honest and very interesting. Learning from Asher Jay that it’s better to purchase generic bananas over organic as the rate of forestation destroyed for harvesting organic bananas outweighs the good. Discussion about the responsibility of corporations and governments to improve the supply chain through regulations and intercountry relationships was addressed as well as plastic reduction through circularity systems. New technology such as blockchain was explored as a way to decentralize the industry and improve capitalism. After the discussion, I recognized Nina, from my sustainability class was also attending, knowing other people my age care and want to improve this industry gives me hope.
Taking the subway home, appreciating how easy public transport is in New York City, compared to back home in Sydney.
DAY TWO – Tuesday 6thof November, 2018
Leaving in the rain this morning, jumping over each street corner as I realized New York City’s rain water system doesn’t flow off the streets as efficiently as it ideally could, an opportunity to collect rain water washing away. On Tuesday’s I only have one class, Product Development which is held in the 5thavenue building from 8am until 11am. This class we focused on the production of garments and the impact on workers along the supply chain, I brought up my recent research into Veja’s supply chain and how they don’t spend any of their budget on advertising, investing it into the workers and quality materials instead, thus still able to offer their product at a market competitive price.
In the afternoon, I went for a jog in central park, it was quiet from tourists due to the rain. The autumn trees glowing in their shades of warm colours, as the wind blew leaves down to the ground like snow-flakes. Every time I go to central park, I am amazed at how you can get lost in nature whilst being in the middle of a highly populated city.
For dinner, I walked down to Bareburger on 46th street, also known as restaurant row. My friends had found this place, so I was surprised to find out Bareburger is based around a sustainable ethos, majority of their menu being vegetarian and plant based, using organic and mostly local ingredients. After dinner, we walked through midtown to the NBC studios in Rockefeller plaza, to see a live taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Due to the midterm elections, they were filming live, which didn’t start until 12pm. As an individual not from the US, it was interesting to witness such an influential media outlet be so favourable to one political party and against their own countries president. All day and leading up to the vote, the encouragement towards young people to vote was immense. Social media influencers using their power to engage the younger generation to vote, for their future and the planet. It’s through government policies and regulations that we can protect our earth, keeping corporations in check, as long as the leadership is honourable.
The live show finished at 1:45am, walking home, past the bright lights of time square.
In the afternoon, I went for a jog in central park, it was quiet from tourists due to the rain. The autumn trees glowing in their shades of warm colours, as the wind blew leaves down to the ground like snow-flakes. Every time I go to central park, I am amazed at how you can get lost in nature whilst being in the middle of a highly populated city.
For dinner, I walked down to Bareburger on 46th street, also known as restaurant row. My friends had found this place, so I was surprised to find out Bareburger is based around a sustainable ethos, majority of their menu being vegetarian and plant based, using organic and mostly local ingredients. After dinner, we walked through midtown to the NBC studios in Rockefeller plaza, to see a live taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Due to the midterm elections, they were filming live, which didn’t start until 12pm. As an individual not from the US, it was interesting to witness such an influential media outlet be so favourable to one political party and against their own countries president. All day and leading up to the vote, the encouragement towards young people to vote was immense. Social media influencers using their power to engage the younger generation to vote, for their future and the planet. It’s through government policies and regulations that we can protect our earth, keeping corporations in check, as long as the leadership is honourable.
The live show finished at 1:45am, walking home, past the bright lights of time square.
Over the past two days tracking my activities, from walking to taking the subway, using my own metal drink bottle, keep cup and eating produce bought from my local natural market. I am conscious in my decisions, to make the right choices for our planet, however simply just existing has an impact. From letting my water run before the hot water comes through, all the packaging on food, even vegetables and using my lights which are neither LED or powered by renewables. There is so much we can each individually do to improve our footsteps, and if everyone made these changes together, our world would be a better place.
Photo I took whilst in central park on Monday 5th November, 2018
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