The Long Term Approach to International Aid Development

“Tired of Starving Children Photos?” That was the title of a recent story on AlertNet, a humanitarian news website. It brought to light the delay in procuring aid in advance of a predicted drought and subsequent famine in 2011.

Year-long warnings of a coming drought in the Horn of Africa and its potential catastrophic repercussions were well documented. Yet according to the article, official government declarations of a famine came too late. Four months too late. By the time international aid arrived, up to 100,000 had died of starvation – half of them children. The article asks “Why is it that, time and again, funding is not provided to respond to a hunger crisis until pictures of starving children are seen in the world press?”

Dependent on Emergency Aid

The unfortunate reality is, despite their best efforts, governments, funders, and international relief organizations must overcome multiple obstacles – logistics, politics, and cumbersome regulations, among them – before they can mobilize and deliver aid. However, more often than not, the international aid community makes a truly remarkable and monumental effort to secure aid and provide relief, when and where it’s needed. The task of gathering and delivering resources and manpower is an extraordinary undertaking even under the best of circumstances. And even more so, when racing against the clock or in unpredictable situations – a natural disaster or war zone, for example.

But how often can organizations and governments be counted on to deliver “just-in-time” aid to stricken areas? There is no obvious answer or magical solution, but there is a proven strategy to lessen the dependence of lesser-developed populations on emergency relief.

Prevention vs. Cure

In the past 50 years the number of children who die every year from hunger, malnutrition, and disease has decreased from 20 million to less than 8 million. The proportion of people living in extreme poverty has been cut in half in the same time frame. That still leaves some staggering numbers to overcome, but the improvement is significant. These results came about for many reasons, but key among them was the focus on anticipating and preventing crises rather than simply shipping emergency aid.

In For The Long Haul

At Planet Aid, emphasis is placed on long-term programs to address the underlying cause of the problem or issue. Multi-year support of programs that address education deficits, health concerns, food security issues, and lack of job skills, are hallmarks of Planet Aid’s mission. Having a consistent in-country presence, year-in and year-out, in the same villages and communities is essential to the organization’s steady, but measurable progress.

Commitment to Mission

While other higher profile aid programs may gain more media and public attention, Planet Aid continues to deliberately move forward in areas where it has earned the trust and recognition of the local community. Those who work with and depend on Planet Aid know they can count on the longevity of the organization’s programs and commitment. By carefully deploying its available resources, leveraging its local knowledge, and building upon its core competencies, Planet Aid has successfully established itself as a preferred partner among international foundations, other aid organizations, and national governments.

Proven Track Record

For the past 15 years, Planet Aid-supported programs have built and staffed schools, established on-going health initiatives, and helped train farming cooperatives to address the fundamental issues that face local populations every day. Individuals who attended Planet Aid-funded schools as children are now returning to their villages to teach a new generation after graduating from one of 26 teacher training colleges which Planet Aid supports. This has resulted in over 3,000 new teachers entering the education system every year. The same is true of agricultural and vocational programs supported by Planet Aid. Knowledge and resources introduced by Planet Aid and its partners have been passed through to new generations of farmers and workers over the years, thanks to Planet Aid’s consistency of mission. Farmers’ Clubs supported by Planet Aid have demonstrated year-to-year improvements in food production, income, and reduction of crop loss. Numerous stories abound of farmers moving from purely subsistence-level farming to achieving extra-income by selling surplus crops. Many of these farmers recorded double and triple-digit increases in harvest totals after implementing new crop techniques learned at Farmers’ Clubs.

Support Planet Aid

Planet Aid’s record of progress and success comes about only through the generosity of those who donate to its cause. In 2010, clothes donations in the U.S. allowed Planet Aid to provide $12 million in direct and in-kind development support in 15 countries. Corporate funding, foundation grants, and aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Agency for International Development continue to help Planet Aid make a difference every day. For more information about how you can help Planet Aid carry out its mission, visit www.planetaid.org. Your monetary gift or clothing donation, no matter how small or substantial, will help those that need it most.

By Ruben V.

New Year! New Resolutions!

“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” - Author Unknown

So how are your New Year resolutions working out? If you’re like most, you promised to keep one or more resolutions to kick off 2012. For some unknown, but fortunate reason, the start of a new year inspires us to do things differently. We desire a new outlook, or a fresh approach to our standard routine.

We promise to lose weight, exercise more, stop smoking, get organized, start a new career, volunteer for a cause, improve relationships, and so on. Do any of these sound familiar? They should, because many of us make the same promises year after year. But that’s okay – many of us are optimists at heart and succumb to the ritual. And why not, we have a whole year in front of us to break old habits or try to develop new ones.

Anything is possible in January

However, those who keep statistics on New Year’s resolutions say we will abandon most resolutions after just two months. But despite our less than spectacular success rate, we strive to better ourselves. Many of us believe a new year brings renewed enthusiasm and hope that “this year might be different.”

Realistic, specific, and measurable

So let’s stay on this positive note for a minute and look at ways to improve our chances of keeping our resolutions. Experts say there are three keys to achieving our resolutions: keep them realistic, specific, and measurable. Also, early success with one resolution, they say, motivates us to stick with the other promises on our list. While we at Planet Aid don’t pretend to be “resolution experts” we do offer a surefire way to experience some early success with your resolutions. Make a resolution to donate the clothes you don’t use. It’s realistic, specific, and measurable. Pull out the pants, sweater, or shoes you haven’t worn in years and take them to your nearest Planet Aid bin.

Decluttering – instant gratification

It’s quick and easy and you will experience satisfaction from clearing out personal clutter.  There’s something cleansing about getting rid of things we no longer need. – and our closets are prime clutter collectors. Just pulling a few things off hangers results in a cleaner closet and the impact is immediate. We see a roomier closet and we experience instant gratification. Thereafter, you can periodically donate more clothes or those from family members. Donating clothes may also help motivate you to reach your other resolutions – weight loss, fitness, organization, recycling, and doing good for others. Clothes and shoes you donate to Planet Aid keeps them from winding up at your local landfill. Donated clothes help Planet Aid fund international aid missions, provide jobs here and abroad, and supply much-needed clothing for those less fortunate. The term “think globally, act locally” truly applies to your donations to Planet Aid. This year give yourself a chance to keep at least one resolution. One small act of charitable giving has many benefits. To learn more about clothes donations and environmental recycling go to http://planetaid.org/planet-aid-post/

Christmas Wrap – Paper or Polyester?

It’s All the Rage!

A study by Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business found that almost 80 percent of U.S. households “expressed anger, frustration or outright rage” with product packaging. With the gift-giving season approaching, we’re sure to see more “wrap rage” – the aggravation felt when attempting to free a product from its hard plastic  clamshell, sealed cardboard, plastic bindings, or wire ties.

Less is Better

Hard-to-open and excess packaging are a growing cause of consumer complaints and injuries. Some manufacturers and retailers are responding by encasing goods in Certified Frustration-Free Packages. Amazon.com, one of the leaders of the “less-is-better” packaging initiative, now ships more than 80,000 different products with minimal or redesigned packaging. The packages are not only easier and safer to open, but they also reduce packaging waste. This is a step in the right direction since a third of all consumer trash sent to landfills is estimated to be packaging material, according to the EPA. That  translates to more than 800 pounds of waste annually per U.S. consumer. During the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of household waste jumps by an additional 25 percent.

Everybody – Let’s Furoshiki!

Another large source of consumer trash during the holidays is gift wrapping paper. Almost all gift wrap is used once, then tossed out with regular household trash. For this reason, a movement to revive the ancient art of “furoshiki” has gained popularity among environmentalists and the general public. Originating in medieval Japan centuries ago, furoshiki is the practice of wrapping gifts in reusable fabric. Translated, the term means “bath towel” and it started as a way for people to carry their clothes and toiletries after visiting communal baths, but later it became a handy way to wrap just about anything.

Today, modern furoshiki is made from many types of recycled fabric and is being  embraced by eco-conscious gift givers all over the world. Typically a square piece of fabric is folded, pleated, knotted or tied to hold a gift. The fabric may be used repeatedly to wrap future gifts by the gift giver or recipient. Recycled fabrics in wood-block prints, colorful patterns, and textures are made for all gift-giving occasions.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Of course, the reuse of fabric is nothing new, but the ability to replace the wholesale waste of paper with recycled fabrics is a novel way to save natural resources. It’s estimated that at least 50,000 trees are used to manufacture one year’s supply of gift wrapping paper in the U.S. In Japan, furoshiki has regained popularity and is now embedded in Japanese culture as a symbol of waste reduction. A Japanese Minister of the Environment launched a campaign named “Mottainai Furoshiki” to promote the waste-saving, yet creative alternative to gift wrap paper. The word “mottainai” means “it’s a shame for something to go to waste without having made use of its full potential.” Which is exactly how all of us should view recycling and the reuse of materials – especially those made from natural resources or through intensive human labor.

14 Years of Recycling

At Planet Aid, environmental protection and habitat preservation are two major objectives of its used clothing collection efforts. Used clothing can be repurposed for a variety of multiple uses all over the world. Some may be remanufactured to make recycled fabric, such as furoshiki. Other used clothing may be sold domestically, or in overseas thrift shops at reduced prices that the local population can afford. In lesser-developed nations the strong demand for used clothing creates jobs and is a significant source of income for millions. For the past 14 years, Planet Aid has led the way in transforming used clothing and shoes into economic aid and international development programs. To learn more about Planet Aid and its programs, please visit www.planetaid.org

Dec. 1 -World AIDS Day – How TCE and Planet Aid Make a Difference, Every Day

Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day. Since its inception in 1997 Planet Aid, has supported programs to combat disease and epidemics like HIV/AIDS. One such program is TCE – Total Control of the Epidemic – operated by members of the Federation Humana People to People worldwide. TCE utilizes a community-based approach to address issues related to the global HIV/AIDS Epidemic. The objective is to provide individuals with the knowledge and tools to empower themselves against HIV/AIDS.

Through a door-to-door campaign, TCE Field Officers educate, inform and counsel people, empowering them to make positive and responsible decisions about their sexual behaviour. Volunteers, called “Passionates,” assist with complementary TCE activities such as school and workplace campaigns, women’s clubs, orphan care, home care and much more. Additionally, TCE programs forge partnerships with existing services, both governmental and otherwise, and provide people with access to those services via referrals.

Sara’s Story

Sara is 53 years old and lives in the Ndlavela Barrio in Matola City, Mozambique with her daughter and two grandchildren. Her husband moved to South Africa years ago to find work. Life was difficult but she was managing. Then, in 2010, Sara learned that she was HIV positive.

“A TCE field officer named Marta Marcos was passing by my house,” she says. “She was taking information and registering people for the program.  We spoke about HIV.  After our talk, I went to the hospital to make the test.” The reality of testing positive was initially difficult for Sara; however, she found the strength to take charge of her situation, receiving assistance from one of the groups organized bythe TCE program. Read more about Sara and others like her at http://www.planetaid.org/web_documents/tcecasemoz2.pdf

World AIDS Day – Dec 1, 2011

Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day.
This year, “Getting to Zero” is the focus of the 30-year battle againstHIV/AIDS. “Zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.”

While the goals are high, progress is occurring across several fronts. Worldwide, annual new HIV infections have dropped 15 percent since 2001, and AIDS-related deaths have declined from 2.2 million in 2005 to 1.8 million in 2010.

Yet AIDS remains a formidable concern in the U.S. and abroad for several reasons. Lack of education, continued stigmatization and discrimination, and budgetary constraints, each have contributed to the ongoing spread of the disease. Others contend that declining interest by the general public and news media have also played a major role.

Americans tend to view the issue as an “African” or “overseas” problem rather than a domestic issue. But the disease has had serious consequences in the U.S. Of all industrialized countries, the U.S. has the largest number of people living with HIV – one million. Of those, 200,000 are unaware of their infection, meaning the risk of transmission remains high. Despite the availability of “rapid tests” which often provide results in 24 hours or less, a full third of those going to public testing sites, do not return to obtain their results.

Since the onset of the epidemic, more than a 600,000 people have died of AIDS in the U.S. – equivalent to the entire population of Las Vegas. In 2009 alone, 17,000 people died of the disease.

Around the world, AIDS has been even more devastating – claiming the lives of more than 30 million men, women,and children. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s AIDS patients live in sub-Saharan Africa, where many live in poverty and with limited access to healthcare. Two decades after scientists first thought an AIDS vaccine was in reach, the anti-dote remains elusive and the epidemic continues.

The primary weapon against AIDS is education, according to nearly all involved organizations and medical experts. Raising awareness of transmission risks, providing information about living with AIDS, and educating the next generation will continue to be instrumental in curbing its spread.

To further these objectives, Planet Aid has supported HIV/AIDS projects through HOPE and TCE (Total Control of the Epidemic). In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, India, and China these programs continue to make a daily difference to individuals impacted HIV/AIDS. The programs teach the basics of how the disease is spread, how to avoid infection, and how to make informed choices and change behaviors. In addition, support and care is provided to those already afflicted and their families.

Still much remains to be done in remote villages of Africa and in urban centers around the world, including cities in the U.S. Learn more about how you can make a difference in the struggle against this disease at www.planetaid.org. Learn more about World AIDS Day – Dec. 1 at www.avert.org.

The Roots of Success

In a region of the world where news of famine, disease, and drought often grabs most headlines, a remarkable success story is growing, literally, in more than 400,000 small farms across Southern Africa. An Oct. 2011 report from the World Agroforestry Centre documents significant increases in crop yields through use of fertilizer tree systems(FTS) – a technique that uses the soil-enriching and water-tapping benefits of certain trees when grown in the midst of crop fields.

Scientists report a doubling or more of crop yields in the majority of farms using FTS in Malawi, Tanzania,Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This helps increase food security and boost family incomes. In Zambia, for example, some FTS farms averaged $233 to $327 per hectare, compared to only $130 for those in unfertilized fields. In terms of food supply, this translates into 57 to 114 extra days of food.

Fertilizer trees, usually a variety of acacia, but also includes jatropha, moringa, and other nitrogen-fixing species, provide multiple benefits when planted among corn, sorghum, wheat,millet, and other cereal crops. These trees grow compatibly with crops and provide an organic fertilizer or “green manure” by drawing nitrogen from the air and re-distributing to the soil through roots and dropped leaves. Additionally tree roots act like conduits to siphon water and bring it closer to the shallower soil levels of most crops. Water efficiency occurs as the trees reduce run-off from rain or irrigation, and overall soil erosion is lessened as well.

Transferring “how-to-knowledge” of FTS is critical if other areas are to benefit. That’s one of the priorities of Planet Aid-supported Farmers’ Clubs throughout Southern Africa. The Clubs organize and mobilize farmers to learn from each other and from agroforestry-trained teachers.

More than 60,000 farmers have been reached through these Clubs. In recent programs, farmers in Malawi planted 4.3 million trees with the assistance of DAPP-Malawi, a Planet Aid partner. Similarly, through a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project in Mozambique, Planet Aid and its local partner ADPP have established 3.8 million tree seedlings which are fertilizing soils, helping reduce erosion, serving as live wind-break fencing, and providing a reliable food source from fruit-producing orchards.

One of the cross-functional advantages of Planet Aid programs in the region is evident in Nhamatanda, Mozambique at a Teacher Training College. Here, future teachers learn “hands-on” agroforestry methods and other practical techniques in addition to their curriculum in primary school education. Graduates of the colleges are equipped to not only provide quality instruction to their students, but help lead the rural communities in which they live and work toward a better quality of life.

Currently, Planet Aid supports Teacher Training Colleges in Angola, Malawi, and Mozambique and Farmers’ Clubs in Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Guinea Bissau, and China. Funding for these projects and many others comes primarily from Planet Aid’s clothing recycling operations in the U.S. Through generous donations of used clothes and shoes, last year Planet Aid raised $12 million to support international aid projects like Famers’ Clubs and the Teacher Training Colleges.

~ Ruben V.

7 Billion and Counting…

Last week, three separate international studies issued some startling facts about planet Earth. Our current world population – according to the UN, will hit the 7 billion mark at the end of this month. Every 24 hours we add 360,000 new inhabitants, and in the same period an estimated 30,000 children die from hunger or preventable diseases. Nearly one billion are malnourished.

Garden of Eden – Club Membership Required

Paradoxically, another recent study estimates that a third of what we grow globally is thrown out before it gets to the table. How can this happen? The reasons are many. One has to do with earth’s unequal distribution of her natural resources. Using satellite imagery, a team of scientists from Canada, Sweden, Germany, and U.S. confirmed what we already suspected: the planet’s best agricultural areas are not always located where most people live. That fact, coupled with the disproportionate allocation of fresh water and other resources makes for a less than equal global garden. Most food economists agree the bread baskets of the world currently produce enough for everyone, but the baskets don’t always get passed around.

Grocer to Garbage

Other reasons are man-made and therefore more complicated. The cycle of food production, distribution, and pricing is profit driven and largely dictated by the developed countries. Large scale food production is geared for those who can pay for it – they are first in line and get first pick. After that, it becomes a frantic scramble for the leftovers. In “advanced” countries, our culture of wasteful  consumption encourages us to throw away what we don’t need because it’s convenient and easily replenished. The age-old problem has always been how to redistribute the over-abundance, when there is no inherent profitable motive to do so. While we may always struggle with this dilemma, international aid organizations like Planet Aid do make a difference every day.

From Single Family Plot to Multi-Crop Farms

Planet Aid-supported Farmers’ Clubs in Mozambique, for example, provide valuable training to subsistence farmers. By growing their own crops, farmers can feed their families, be less reliant on external food aid, and earn income from crop sales. The program teaches farmers how to enhance soil fertility, increase crop yields, and how to collectively manage resources, like irrigation water. Where these programs have been applied, some farmers have experienced triple digit improvements in production and family income.

Education before Population

While lower than in earlier decades, high birth rates remain a constant in countries where income among the poorest is a little over a dollar a day. Again, the reasons are many, but results point to education as one clear answer. Evidence gathered by the Futures Group, a global health consulting firm, finds that 40 percent of pregnancies are unintended. Yet 215 million women in lesser developed nations have no access to even basic education. Decades of study have shown that women with some education have fewer and healthier children. In Mali, for instance, women with no schooling have an average of seven children, while those with at least a secondary education have fewer than four.

Teachers Needed

At Planet Aid, a key focus is supporting early childhood education for both girls and boys, and continuing education for young and older adults. As most evidence shows, education remains the single most important “change factor” in transforming lives of the impoverished. In the 26 colleges that Planet Aid supports in Angola, Malawi, and Mozambique, 3,000 new primary school teachers graduated last year alone. These teachers are a critical link in the education chain. Learning occurs and flourishes when children can read and write and have regular access to schools and resources. Planet Aid-funded programs build and maintain schools as well as provide a steady stream of new teachers for current and future students. Higher literacy rates open multiple opportunities and encourage education within families. Literacy rates increase among younger siblings if older children are taught, and this knowledge often spills forward to new generations.

Your Donations Give Help and Hope

None of these programs would be possible without your generous and ongoing support. As simple as it sounds, your donation of old clothes can be turned into funding for several humanitarian projects world-wide. In 2010, the 95 million pounds of clothes and shoes donated to Planet Aid meant $12 million in funding for farming and education programs, as well as for projects to fight malaria and HIV/AIDS. Others like Child Aid and H.O.P.E. were able to continue their missionthanks to you. While we sometimes regard famine and poverty as important but distant issues, they are the day-to-day reality for millions.  For many, each day means a new struggle to survive. Learn how you can make a difference – visit planetaid.org today.

~ Ruben V.

Charities Turn to Global Textile Market to Raise Cash

About 10 pounds per person, per year – thanks to an upward trend in used clothes and shoe donations, that’s the amount of clothing, shoes, and other textiles U.S. consumers typically recycle. Together, households and businesses help divert approximately 2.5 billion pounds of excess textiles from entering the solid waste stream every year.

As donations increase so do the number of organizations that collect clothing, shoes, and other textile-based items. New collection bins, each touting a different charity orcause, continue to appear. Neighborhood clothing drives take place every weekend and many schools now encourage students to donate out-grown shoes as part of their “green” campaigns. Yet, even when combining the efforts of all non-profits, businesses, recycling centers, thrift stores, and church groups, only 15 percent of textiles are recycled. The remaining 85 percent is still thrown away. That’s about 60 pounds of textile waste per person.

Growing Enterprise

As textile recycling gains momentum, a few misperceptions keep circulating about the industry and are perpetuated among news media, blogs, neighborhood groups, and other forums. In particular, there seems to be a loud outcry over the sale of donated clothing to third parties.Browse the Internet and you’ll find individuals who “are shocked” to learn their used designer jeans are being sold to a recycling business. Or that not every pair of their “gently worn” Nikes is given to inner city teens, but instead, some will protect the feet of subsistence farmers in Angola. Some find it “morally outrageous” that donated clothing is being bartered and sold like a regular commodity for pennies on the pound.Whether we care to know or not, the used garment trade is a multi-billion dollar enterprise. As a U.S. export commodity it ranks among the top ten, employs between 20-30,000 U.S. workers by some estimates, and generates several hundred thousand direct and peripheral jobs worldwide. In lesser-developed countries used textiles are vital source of income for one-person shops and small business.

Our Surplus Fills Demand Abroad

Within the global textile market, it’s no secret that the majority of national and local aid organizations (Goodwill, Salvation Army, and your neighborhood charity) wind up selling a significant portion of what they collect to third-party recyclers. Why? They simply can’t sell or give away the volume they collect every day. After clothing is sorted, the best goods may go to thrift stores or other second-hand outlets. The bulk, about 60 percent, goes to domestic and overseas recyclers who supply poorer nations with much needed low-cost clothing.Some is repurposed to manufacture everything from sound proofing insulation to new car upholstery, and of course more new clothes.

Drowning in Clothes

As new clothes purchases increase so does the output of used clothing. In the U.S., we can’t begin to absorb the huge tide of discarded textiles and garments. Today, we bury or incinerate most of it, recycle a small amount domestically, and sell the rest overseas, where there is a continuing demand.When natural disasters strike and relief organizations like the Red Cross request aid, clothing is purposely not at the top of the list. Yet, it still arrives by the semi-truck load, and they too need to sell it. And it makes perfect sense. Nonprofits need multiple revenue streams to survive and to conduct their individual missions. Fundraising requires a constant and multi-level effort – ranging from expensive direct mail campaigns to bake sales. By selling donated clothing, organizations can raise much needed cash to fund programs, pay expenses, house their operations, and much more.

No Free Lunch

And it’s not just clothing, nonprofits are collecting all sorts of donated items – cell phones, ink cartridges, and electronics – for their cash value.  It takes cash – lots of it – to fund a national charity collection effort. When a garment is given free to a charity, it doesn’t mean it’s free for the charity to collect it. For those with large collection programs, this may mean buying and maintaining thousands of collection bins or operating storefronts, paying drivers, leasing trucks, hiring sorters and packers, buying mechanical balers, paying freight and    transportation,etc. It’s no wonder then, that a nationwide charity may spend $10 million to make $16 million and put the net proceeds toward its mission. The adage, “It takes money to make money” applies to charities just as it does for profit-driven firms. The cost of doing business is similar as well. Essentially many of the costs to run a large for-profit business also are required of a large nonprofit. (Except that nonprofits have to do it on a shoestring budget, otherwise they get criticized for too much overhead, but that’s another story.)

A Slice of “Clothes Pie”

Given these economic realities and the known environmental benefits of recycling, it’s perplexing why some charities are chastised for selling donated garments and shoes. Put another way, would a needy individual who receives two coats be admonished for selling one of the coats to buy another basic necessity?  Many established and well known charities have been selling clothes for years, and on a large scale. The point is this – even if we quadruple our textile recycling efforts today, a large excess will still get tossed in the garbage tomorrow. The “used clothing pie” is large enough for nonprofit agencies and recyclers to claim a slice, with plenty left over. As long as charitable organizations are transparent about their intentions, they should be able to trade their donations on the global market.

Charity or Charlatan?

As we increase our collective recycling I.Q., we also need to increase our knowledge about the organizations doing the collecting. While the majority of clothes recycling operations are legitimate, there are a growing number that are not. Clothes collectors may be registered charities,others may be strictly for-profit, and some are intentionally vague about their operations. The latter may be simply false fronts eager to cash in on the public’s generosity by slapping a generic charitable cause on a donation box. These rogue operators routinely place their bins on private or public property,without any intention of seeking permission or following city ordinances. Once they are discovered or questioned, they just move to another location.

Transparency is Revealing

The unfortunate result has been a small but growing distrust of the clothes collection process in general. Firms that legitimately gather clothing through donations and contribute to domestic or international aid programs find themselves defending their reputation and practices. In any industry, there will always be those that operate under false pretenses or willing to dupe the public with less than transparent motives.  But to protect the growing recycling movement, we should insist on open disclosure, verifiable credentials, and a responsible and documented donation history. Some progress has been made in this area by the recycling industry, but clearly more can be done to expose fraudulent operators.

“Triple-Win”Business Model

Despite some of these issues, collecting clothing for charitable purposes is and always should be a win-win-win situation – for the giver, the charity, and the receiver. The donor gives something he no longer needs, the charity finds a need, and the recipient has a need filled. It’s a pretty effective business model when youstop and think about it. Whether therecipient gets an actual piece of clothing or receives assistance through an international aid program funded by recycling dollars, the benefit reaches the intended target. Moreover, the impoverished have other basic needs that need attention – access to food, water, housing, education,and ways to improve health and raise their living standard. Sales of used clothing generate the funds necessary to establish and maintain such programs.

Environmental Benefits

So let’s continue to clean out our closets, tote our groceries home in reusable bags, and sort our garbage in the right bins. We all need to take care of our planet and we need to take care of each other. Let’s give our used garments to clothe others or convert them to cash to fund programs for the less fortunate. And help protect our planet at the same time. It’s only a win-win-win if you participate and we let charities do what they do best.

~ Ruben V.

America Recycles Day – Nov. 15

“One day to educate. One day
to motivate. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get Involved!”

That’s the tagline for America Recycles Day on Nov. 15. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already a champion of recycling and recognize the many environmental enefits. You recognize the power of “walking the walk”and not just “talking the talk.”

Through your everyday actions you demonstrate to those around you why you value our collective habitat, and insist on an environmentally healthier way of life. Take the opportunity on Nov. 15 to invite a neighbor, friend, co-worker, or maybe your favorite barista to share your passion. In 2011, recycling opportunities have expanded many times over since America Recycles Day kicked off in 1997 – coincidentally the same year Planet Aid started its clothing and shoe recycling operations. Today most household items and consumer goods are easy and convenient to recycle. Go ahead and expand your recycling routine – every room in your home likely contains several items that can be recycled instead of being tossed in the trash. Whether you choose to recycle old cell phones, CDs, eyeglasses, or old clothing – it’s the conscious act of recycling that counts. Stringing together several “acts” soon becomes a habit, and thereafter, an environmentally healthy routine. Remember when you contribute clothing to Planet Aid, you double the impact of your conscious act.You save used clothing and shoes from entering a landfill and you help fund an aid program for those less fortunate in the U.S. and abroad. Visit www.americareyclesday.org to take the pledge to recycle – and challenge a friend to do the same.

Recycling Goes High Fashion

“Remade in England” – that’s how the clothing label reads on the original fashions designed by upstart British designer Christopher Raeburn. His men’s and women’s wear collections have captured the young designer’s energy as well as his passion for recycling.

A recent story in The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com /2011/09/20/fashion/20iht-rchris20.html highlights his unique  recycling approach. Remanufactured from old military clothing – Swiss military raincoats, East German infantry uniforms, and desert camouflage gear from the Gulf Wars – Raeburn deconstructs and remakes the sturdy and waterproof fabrics into upscale couture. Putting a new twist on the Biblical passage “they shall beat swords into plowshares” Raeburn is turning garments designed for combat into everyday wear that has won him a growing list of customers and international accolades.

This “up-cycling” as he calls his repurposed fashion, gives decommissioned military surplus, including tents, ponchos, and parachutes, a new life as award-winning outerwear. Much of the material is decades old and can be found stored in military warehouses and army surplus stores around the world. This is yet another example of the transformation of recycling, as it extends its reach to include unique materials, and in the process, harnesses the creativity of those from diverse industries.

Designers like Raeburn are pushing the outer edge of fashion while simultaneously raising environmental awareness. It’s become increasingly fashionable to be environmentally aware. Trend setters from all areas of our culture have become advocates for environmental activism and many have lent their support to numerous recycling programs. This type of support is key to the recycling movement for several reasons. Younger generations are growing up watching their pop culture icons embrace the movement. The image of recycling has evolved from stodgy and routine – flashback to elderly person collecting aluminum cans in grocery cart – to a hip activity with a desirable cachet. People want to identify with and be part of something global that makes a statement about who they are as individuals – that they care about the planet and each other.

~ Ruben Valdillez