EARTHDAY.ORG is proud to have Bibi Russell as our Ambassador in Bangladesh. With her unstinting focus on the good of our planet, Bibi Russell is a strong advocate for slow fashion. Her collections are limited and use natural colors and ISO dyes only.
“My vision is in sync with EARTHDAY.ORG. Their campaign ‘Fashion for the Earth’ aims to alter the trajectory of the negatives to the environment of the present-day fashion industry, change personal lifestyles, inspire others to do the same, advocate for legislation for sustainable fashion practices. There is so much each can do.”
– Bibi Russell
Bibi is a loud voice against the production of inexpensive items that go to stock off-the-rack sales units the world over. “These are not produced to last but to wear and discard over a short wear time. As the garments are priced very low, cheap labor often working out of sweatshops is employed. It tugs at my heartstrings when I see this apathy to human dignity,” she says. She also believes that education is the key to sustainable livelihoods in the green economy. Bibi concluded, “health and education are the backbone and we will need the support of the people to empower local weavers for sustainable fashion to continue.”
In India, Earth Day Network continues to raise awareness in schools about the need to end plastic pollution. Schools are invited to submit their entries for our Morning Assembly Contest, to commemorate Earth Day, any day from April to August, on the theme Planet vs. Plastics, through elocution, posters, skits, rallies, cleanup drives, or other activities.
Also Read: Beat the Heat: Top Summer Hacks to Stay Cool
We collaborate with The Municipal Corporation of Delhi through our EDN Star Ruby Makhija, Founder of Why Waste Wednesdays. As a result, thousands of students in their many schools have downloaded our plastic toolkits, and cloth bags have been made available for consumers to use in place of plastic ones in their main markets. By taking used plastic as payment for tuition, a school in Assam promotes the collection of waste plastic, which is then recycled and upcycled by the students into eco-bricks and other products.
Neela Majumdar, Director, Education and Outreach, Earth Day Network India, says, “End plastics for a healthy planet and you.”
Lata Bajoria, the jute baroness who is advocating for jute instead of plastic bags, graciously offers her lovely herb garden for our annual Spice Bageecha plastic-free event in Kolkata, which links eco-conscious customers with suppliers and manufacturers of natural, organic, upcycled, and recycled products. Its continued success is a testimony to the many years of effort we have invested in raising public awareness of the benefits of natural products.
The planting of more than two million saplings in 7 gram panchayats of the Sunderbans has improved biodiversity in the areas where the plantation was done. The local community benefits socio-economically and is protected from natural disasters like cyclones and floods. Additionally, because mangroves slow down soil erosion, the earthen embankments in regions where tidal waves are more likely to cause erosion will be shielded by the dense root system of the mangroves, lessening the community’s susceptibility.
Due to the high carbon sequestration potential of the mangrove vegetation, the plantation activity will become a positive factor regarding climate change mitigation in those areas. EARTHDAY.ORG has youth climate activists My Future My Voice Youth Ambassadors: 230 young environmental leaders from 110 countries around the world. All the youth (under the age of 35) are united by their common aim – to work for the good of the environment. They are the future, which is why their voices matter the most.
