Education & the Environment
In 2012, then 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by extremists on her way home from school. The extremists believed that girls should not receive an education, but Malala disagreed, and was not going to be silenced. She survived the attack and, two years later was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in campaigning for girls’ education. Her work continues through the Malala Fund which she co-founded with her father to champion every girl’s right to free, safe, quality education.
Our education starts when we are children, and – if we are lucky – continues throughout adulthood. Indeed, as adults, when we learn something unexpectedly, we might remark: “Every day’s a school day”. Let’s appreciate these moments, and seek out more opportunities to educate ourselves about the things which interest us. A person with an education can confidently make more informed decisions and, armed with the courage of their convictions, that person can go on to make a positive impact on their environment – and the people around them.
One of the ways in which people can make a positive impact is to educate themselves about the climate crisis we are facing, in order to understand the steps that must be taken to reverse it. There are changes that we can all make in our everyday lives – and at work – to reduce the harmful emissions which are, in part, responsible for global warming. Companies have the opportunity to be a force for good, and to consider people and the planet – as well as profit. We can play our part too, by asking questions, and looking out for labelling on the goods we buy, such as MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®, which tells us about both safety and sustainability.
For example:
- a reduction in energy consumption can benefit the environment by reducing the carbon emissions from a manufacturing facility (and reduce its costs);
- providing a safe working environment for employees helps to ensure a healthy (and productive) workforce; and
- reusing or recycling goods diverts waste from landfill, where methane is generated and released as carbon emissions into the atmosphere (and provides a new source of materials).
According to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” So let’s not take it for granted – and let’s make sure it never goes to waste! Good luck for the academic year ahead to all those returning to schools, colleges and universities in the days and weeks ahead.
Shirley®
OEKO-TEX® aims to deliver more transparency for a sustainable future. We are continuously developing test methods and limit values for the textile and leather industry, we provide important boosts for innovation and thus make a significant contribution to the development of high-quality products. Our mission is to create trust in textiles and leather and in their production.
Should you wish to contact us, please email enquiries@shirley.co.uk