Help the environment. Don’t wash your jeans often!
|
Want to be environmental friendly while wearing your favourite pair of jeans? Wear your jeans at least thrice before washing them and then do so in cold water, don't use the dryer and not the iron either, says the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). By following these practices, people can consume up to five times less energy, according to a 30-second TV spot prepared by the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE). "The number of wash cycles drives environmental impacts and the application of smart technology that halves the number of washes in the life cycle of the product is beneficial," said Robert Bisset, head of communications at UNEP DTIE, told IANS in an email interview.
For the user, the effect of reducing the number of washes will be to reduce the need for electricity, water and detergent, the UNEP official says. "The choice of the detergent itself is also important. Washing at a lower temperature reduces environmental impacts. "Moreover, elimination of tumble drying, which uses around 60 percent of the use phase energy, and ironing, in combination with the lower wash temperature, leads to around 50 percent reduction in global climate change impact of the product." Talk about doing extensive research on how to conserve energy huh?
