SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 EVENTS FOR CHANGE Trash Talk: sustainable fashion and beauty Over the past few years, the climate advocacy movement and its teenage leaders have been at the forefront of the news. With a surprising sense of urgency, the younger generations joined this movement and expanded it beyond belief. The media has exploded with educational content, calls for action and tips on living a sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability is becoming more and more mainstream. But apart from the youth’s online excitement, how eager are teenagers actually about saving the planet? Well, in my experience, most teenagers in Ann Arbor have mixed feelings about it. For one, young people are welcoming the idea of being sustainable and making decisions that will have long lasting benefits … but only to an extent. Once staying sustainable begins to interfere with their ability to have fun or buy the products that make them feel best — from clothes to beauty products to food — it starts to take the backseat. For many people, making sustainable decisions can seem daunting or even impossible, especially when it comes to the world of fashion and beauty. There’s a perception that sustainable or “green” products are over twice as expensive as regular products and can be harder to find in stores. Even further, the idea that sustainability can only happen through more — more purchases, more practices, more green appliances — has become widespread. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Many sustainable practices can save you money: thrifting (like the To share local resources on how you MAISIE WEYHENG Groundcover contributor origin of its name) means you can purchase used clothing and household items at a fraction of the price of buying things new. Reducing the amount you buy has even bigger impacts on your wallet, and the climate. Everyday life is full of decisions — from deciding what soap to buy to buying a house. And those decisions, especially about what you buy, have huge consequences on the climate because nearly half of global emissions come from producing stuff and food. And with 2024 rounding out to be perhaps the hottest year on record, climate change and its ever-impending consequences are becoming increasingly apparent to consumers and companies alike. And if we want to slow this catastrophic warming, many, if not all, of our everyday life decisions will have to be made with sustainability in mind. In a Microsoft report, a whopping 88% of people globally make sustainable purchases when able. But that’s the catch — what if people aren’t able to make sustainable purchases? can be sustainable without breaking the bank, Her Horizon, a local initiative focused on making sustainable living accessible to all, is joining Trash Talk Tour 2024 and welcomes you to attend Sustainable Fashion & Beauty Element at this year’s Fall Festival at Kiwanis on September 29. This innovative element of the event advocates for sustainable fashion/ beauty practices and recognizes businesses and brands that fit under this umbrella. With vendors like BYOC (Bring Your Own Container) and Plato’s Closet attending, community members will have a chance to shop for sustainably sourced clothing and beauty products that are affordable. The Sustainable Fashion & Beauty Element will not only provide community members with easy access to sustainable fashion/beauty, but will also educate the community about the waste levels related to the fashion/beauty industry. The Ross Retail Club from the University of Michigan will be facilitating activities about the fashion/beauty industry and offering mentorship to community members. There will also be an interactive kids’ table with fun, fashion-centered activities and games to inspire youth to make sustainable decisions and rethink their closets. Throughout the course of the event, Her Horizon will be raising money for Menstrumate: a female-founded, India-based nonprofit that distributes sustainable menstrual products made from agricultural discards to rural communities. This past June, I had the GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 Trash Talk Tour 2023 incredible opportunity to travel to Kochi, India and meet 100 other amazing teenage girls from the United States and South Asia. While attending this UN/U.S. State Department program, I met Anupriya, the CEO of Menstrumate. Meeting Anupriya and hearing her story was beyond inspiring and it truly encouraged me to delve deeper into gender-justice issues and their implications with the climate crisis. With this global tie-in, Her Horizon hopes to expand the education component of the event to show how the sustainable fashion/beauty industry takes shape in other areas of the world as well as supports other female advocates and entrepreneurs. To take part in this exciting event, on September 29 from 12-3 p.m. at Kiwanis (100 N Staebler Road), please RSVP at trashtalktour.org! Run for change with Concert Music Outreach Collective CONCERT MUSIC OUTREACH COLLECTIVE Concert Music Outreach Collective (CMOC), a pioneering non-profit bringing classical music performances to underserved communities in Michigan's prisons and homeless shelters, has announced that the organization will be one of the charity partners for the annual Ann Arbor Marathon on October 13. Founder and director Allyson Cohen will run the full 26.2 mile race to raise awareness and funds for CMOC’s mission to bridge the gap in classical music access. “I’m thrilled to take on the challenge of running the marathon in support of CMOC,” said Cohen. “The work we do aims to combat the disparities in access to classical music by bringing concerts to underserved communities. Every dollar raised from this marathon will directly support these efforts.” CMOC stands out by employing innovative engagement practices that break down barriers between performers and audiences. The organization’s concert series in Michigan’s prisons and shelters prioritizes contemporary works by underrepresented composers, fostering a deeper connection through post-performance discussions that engage and empower participants. The goal is to create a welcoming sanctuary for all, using music as a tool to foster inclusivity and dismantle the elitism traditionally associated with classical music. "Music is a powerful medium that transcends linguistic and cultural barriers. It unites people in their shared humanity," Cohen explained. "At CMOC, we believe in the transformative power of music, and we’re committed to making classical music accessible to everyone, no matter their circumstances." Beyond its regular concert series, CMOC has recently launched two new projects: 1. Field Trip Project: This initiative brings audiences from shelters and prisons to professional concert halls, providing them with the opportunity to experience world-class performances. 2. Commissioning Project: CMOC will premiere up to five compositions each year by BIPOC student composers. The compositions will be professionally recorded for the students’ portfolios, offering them invaluable support at the start of their careers. Cohen’s marathon run serves as a platform to raise both awareness and funds for CMOC's vital work. Donations — no matter the size — will directly benefit CMOC’s ongoing mission. “Even a $1 contribution can help make a meaningful impact," said Cohen. "Together, we can break down barriers and share the beauty of classical music with those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it." To support Allyson Cohen's marathon run and the Concert Music Outreach Collective’s mission, donations can be made directly through CMOC’s website cmoutreachcollective.org or through the Ann Arbor Marathon charity platform.
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