More than 330 billion pounds of clothing will be dumped into landfills or incinerated in the year 2050 if the current fast fashion trend continues, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation. This number is so massive that it’s difficult to imagine what exactly that might look like in reality.
To illustrate the scale of this environmental crisis, UK creative agency NeoMam Studios has created a video of eight famous landmarks rapidly filling with thrown away clothing.
Each building — the Empire State Building, The Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramid of the Sun, St. Michael’s Tower, Big Ben, Angel of the North, and Riverside Museum — shows just a portion of 2050’s projected textile waste.
The Colosseum in Rome polluted with fast fashion (Image Credit: NeoMam Studios)
For example, it would take 180 million pounds of waste to fill the Empire State Building in New York. Big Ben in London would take 800,000 pounds. The Colosseum in Rome would take 227 million pounds. And the Great Wall of China would take a massive 168 billion pounds. Astonishingly, enough clothes are currently being thrown away to fill the Great Wall of China in only about half a year.
NeoMam Studios is hoping that these shocking images will help create a positive change in people’s habits and attitudes when it comes to fast fashion. We must do better to protect our planet, including purchasing ethically-sourced and environmentally-friendly clothing.
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Plez stop all this cruel evil torment. Image some one doing that to u or your child. Plez have a sence of compassion
I prefer to purchase clothing from the Thrift Store or Value Village. It is a lot more affordable, and as well, reusing clothing is so much better for the environment. Please remember to reuse and recycle for the Environment.
I donate my old clothes.
Practice Minimalism, make Environment Study, Pollution, Ecology, Forestry a compulsory subject in Education , right from nursery, childcare, kindergarten, primary, secondary school & tertiary Education
Economies based on endless consumption for endless growth doom the planet to destruction. Period, end of discussion. A child could understand this, and only denial prevents adults from acknowledging these fundamental facts.
If we could go back to some of the crafts that our grandparents did we wouldn’t have as much waste. Like the clothes-save the clothes that don’t fit or too old for example. When the pile gets big then tear all the clothes into strips and make rugs, placemats, or even dog beds! You have a hobby, save money or even selling them to make money. It’s a win-win all the way round including the environment!!