Dear Manager,

    As we all know, our world is facing a very serious problem – global warming.  Among different causes, the handling of textile waste would be something that we can control.  It is undoubtedly everyone’s responsibility to protect our environment.

    From the news we have heard, as temperatures rise, polar ice caps will melt and the world’s sea levels will rise.  We can realize the needs and importance for us to have more recycling programs.  By introducing new programs to the public, the attention of environmental protection can be caught.  This can spread the consciousness and bring the message that textile waste is causing great damage to the environment.  Besides, there is a practical fact from the Environmental Protection Department – it is estimated that the landfills will be full in 2019.  Yet, citizens keep throwing tonnes of textiles away and these are sent to the landfills.  How can this problem be eased?  Recycling programs will do the job.  Living in the same planet as world citizens, everyone has the ethical responsibility to protect the environment and it only takes a few steps for our estate to contribute more.  Here are two programs.

    The first recycling program to alleviate the problem can be a donation.  Donating any unwanted textiles that would be otherwise thrown into the landfills is more than meaningful.  The first step will be the collection.  Collecting points can be set up at the ground floors of all buildings and be clearly labeled for different categories of clothing.  The second step is the selection of textiles.  Before we pass the donations on to any charity, we can invite some volunteers in our community to help ensure the collected items are clean and not worn-out.  If we simply send the clothing to Salvation Army, they will transfer it to the needy or sell it as second-hand goods and use the proceeds for charity work.  Apart from having a recycling program to alleviate the burden of the landfills, we are also benefiting the society.  Doesn’t it kill two birds with one stone?

    If someone is not willing to donate stuff, a textile exchange program might be more attractive and welcoming.  There is a non-profit organization who drives industry transformation called Textile Exchange.  There are many events about exchanging textiles and it is a good example that we can imitate.  In order to make this popular, booths of textile exchange can be set up so as to provide the convenience for everyone to gather and participate.  The idea is to bring their own unwanted textile goods to exchange with someone else’s.  The key of this program is, to make the textiles useful again.  Since a lot of us throw things away only because they want something new, it could also tackle the problem of over-consuming.  For example, if a person doesn’t like the colour of the existing curtain, he can exchange it with another person’s instead of buying a new one.  It is not a very complicated idea; all we need is a platform.

    The environmental change is a thought-provoking issue to all of us and our next generations.  As a community, the importance of waste control, especially the textile waste, should be brought out and more recycling programs are essential.

Yours faithfully,

Mavis Li
5A (08)