When I read an article on sustainability as “women’s issue” (Suzanne Elliot, 2021, Euronews), I was intrigued to the point of investigating and better understanding how and why there can be a green-feminine stereotype. Although in the current context of gender fluidity its significance could be questioned, it could help in a more effective dissemination of sustainability messages.

Several studies indicate that there is a gender gap with regard to care for the environment.

According to research by Mintel (2018), men waste more water and food, recycle less, are less careful about turning off lowering the heat when they leave the house, and less inclined to encourage family and friends to live more ethically. The difference in the frequency of behaviors demonstrates the existence of an “eco-gender gap”.

Another study answers the question: “Does gender really matter for sustainability?” (Meinzen-Dick, Kovarik, R. Quisumbing 2014*): yes, but according to the analysis conducted it does not mean that women (or men) are intrinsically more resource-conscious. Rather, we should take into account the intangible motives, material conditions and means available generally to one or the other gender.

Why this gap?

However, the question may arise that the perception of more sustainable practices as a threat to masculinity also plays its part. It’s a study conducted by Penn State researchers that sheds light on how men may be unwilling to carry a reusable shopping bag, recycle, or engage in other environmentally friendly activities that are considered feminine. “There may be subtle, gender-related consequences when we engage in various pro-environmental behaviors. People may avoid certain behaviors because they are managing the gendered impression they anticipate others will have of them. Or they may be avoided if the behaviors they choose do not match their gender”. To preserve gender identity, men would avoid ecological behaviors linked to the green-feminine stereotype. Just as it seems to happen in the mechanisms of reluctance on the part of men to adopt vegetarian and vegan diets. Swim thinks it’s important to understand these social consequences, because they can prevent people from engaging in behaviors that could ultimately help the environment (source Science Daily 2019).

The future

The latest generations grow up with greater exposure to environmental and social issues. Diversity, inclusion, gender fluidity are more familiar concepts than previous generations. With less force than the traditional concept of masculinity, younger people may therefore feel less threatened by perceived attacks on gender identity.

The cattle industry is linked to the availability of forests. A World Resources Institute’s study found that from 2001 to 2015 cattle was responsible for 36% of global tree cover loss. Cattle replaced nearly double the forest area of ​​all other assets combined (soy, palm oil, rubber, coconut, coffee, wood fiber).

By analyzing the tracking of leather exported by the largest Brazilian meat leather company, JBS, Stand.Earth has identified the brands complicit in the annihilation of the lung of the earth. In fact, all the realities that source directly or indirectly from JBS are connected to the collapse of the Amazon rainforest.

The problem does not only concern JBS, but the entire Brazilian leather industry. The study analyzed all 6 major exporters, investigating 500,000 rows of customs data obtained from multiple data providers and cross-referenced with data collected from other sources to uncover the hidden supply chain.

Brazilian leather is used by tanneries and manufacturers around the world to make countless consumer-facing branded products, including high-end footwear and fashion products.

Italy is significantly involved: about a third of exports are in fact destined for our country.

At the time of publication, the research highlights over 100 brands that are at high risk of leading to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. These brands include: Adidas, Nike, Coach, Prada, Zara, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, New Balance, UGG, and Fendi, all of which have more connections with deforestation in the Amazon.

The study revealed:

• Brands with multiple connections to deforestation (=high risk), among which:

1. Adidas
2. Fila
3. Camper
4. Nike
5. Timberland
6. Geox
7. Puma
8. ASICS
9. Clarks
10. Dr. Martens
11. Tommy Hilfiger
12. Calvin Klein
13. Vans
14. New Balance
15. Zara
16. H&M
17. Guess
18. Ralph Lauren
19. Lacoste
20. Prada
21. LVMH
22. Michael Kors
23. DKNY

• Brand with a single connection, among which:

1. Decathlon
2. Giorgio Armani
3. Bally
4. Esprit
5. Maison Margiela

By connections we mean the individual links in the supply chain between various companies (leather tanneries in Brazil, leather processorsin various countries, shoe/fashion manufacturers and brands around the world). An interactive site shows the links of all brands, parent companies and the supply chain.

The data analyzed also illustrates that a third of the companies included in the survey are violating their policies, while two thirds of the companies have no policies in place.

Some fashion brands are hiding behind LWG (Leather Working Group), which on the one hand is collaborating with the University of Wisconsin and two NGOs (NWF and WWF) to increase the transparency of the supply chain, on the other, however, fails to address deforestation due to the lack of tracking systems and availability of data on the value chain of cattle in Brazil.

LWG certification does not guarantee that the leather is free from responsibility in deforestation.

Brands often hide behind the claim that their supply chains are free from illegal deforestation, but a 2020 study found that nearly all deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is illegal.

Slow Factory proposes an environmental campaign to ask for responsibility from brands and hold them legally responsible through legislation. “The fashion industry is known for deliberately obscure supply chains that hide massive human rights and environmental abuses,” explains Colin Vernon, co-founder of Slow Factory. “iven the very lax standards and enforcement on the part of the Brazilian government, we are calling on global brands to make sure that they can prove that their supply chains are clean, without relying on the word of their suppliers, or standards that have massive loopholes. The truth is, the Amazon is being burned down to raise cattle for meat and leather, and brands have the power to stop it“.

Is leather a by-product?

The recurring question when it comes to leather and sustainability is: “Isn’t leather a positive use of a cattle byproduct that would otherwise go to waste?”. Slow Factory confirms that this is not the case.

“Given how much export revenue Brazil generates from leather production, cowhides are considered a co-product, rather than a byproduct, of beef. While the vast majority of Brazil’s beef is consumed domestically, most of its leather makes its way into shoes, handbags, belts, and other items used daily by consumers around the world“.

If you want to read more about the leather industry, we have also talked about it here>

Especially following the publication of the latest IPCC report this summer, posts, comments and requests for advice more and more frequently have expressed the concern for the future scenario that lies ahead in terms of the survival of mankind.

The IPCC

Costituito nel 1988, è il corpo delle Nazioni Unite composto da esperti climatici. Nell’ultimo report pubblicato, 234 scienziati hanno sintetizzato 14,000 documenti di ricerca. Non ci sono più dubbi sulla crisi climatica. È inequivocabile che l’influenza umana abbia riscaldato l’atmosfera, l’oceano e le terre emerse. Le evidenze lo confermano (fonte IPCC 2021):

Formed in 1988, it is the United Nations body made up of climate experts. In the latest published report, 234 scientists synthesized 14,000 research papers. There are no more doubts about the climate crisis. It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, the ocean and the emerged lands. Evidence confirms it, in fact (source IPCC 2021):

• Human influence has been the leading cause of global glacier retreat since the 1990s and has contributed to the observed surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet over the past two decades.
• Human influence has warmed the climate at an unprecedented rate (speed) in the past 2000 years.
• Extremes of heat (including heat waves) have become more frequent and more intense in most of the lands that have emerged since the 1950s.
• Global surface temperature has risen faster since 1970 than at any other 50-year period in the past 2,000 years.
• The global mean sea level will continue to increase over the course of the 21st century (the expectations are between +0.28 and +1.01 meters).
• The ocean has warmed faster in the last century than since the end of the last deglaciation (about 11,000 years ago).
• In 2019, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were the highest in the last 2 million years.
• Global warming of 1.5° C and 2  C will be overcome during the course of the 21st century unless there are major reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades.

These are just some of the points that emerged from the report: did you feel eco-anxiety?

What is it?

Si tratta di un impatto psicologico indiretto del cambiamento climatico. È “una reazione su larga scala allo stato degli ecosistemi planetari” (Pihkala, 2020). Secondo l’American Pshychological Association (2017) è “una paura cronica dei disastri ambientali. Una fonte di stress causato dal guardare il lento e apparentemente irrevocabile impatto del cambiamento climatico, e preoccuparsi del futuro di se stessi, dei bambini e delle ultime generazioni” (Clayton et. al., 2017).

It is an indirect psychological impact of climate change. It is “a large-scale reaction to the state of planetary ecosystems” (Pihkala, 2020). According to the American Pshychological Association (2017) it is “a chronic fear of environmental doom. A source of stress caused by looking at the slow and seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change, and worrying about the future of oneself, children and the last generations” (Clayton et. Al., 2017).

How does it manifest?

Symptoms reported are existential fear, guilt or shame about one’s environmental footprint, depression, anxiety, panic, nervousness, feeling hopeless, irritability, weakness, mood swings, exhaustion, insomnia, obsessive thoughts.

Who is affected?

It affects everyone, even young people and children. The American Psychological Association (2020) found that for 47% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34, the stress of climate change had an impact on daily life. Young people through modern technology experience greater exposure to disturbing and anxious climatic realities (Li, 2015).

The charity Place2Be states that it is more pronounced among young people: a study shows that 4 out of 5 children between 10 and 12 years have expressed feelings of fear, sadness, anger for environmental problems.

How we react to the climate anxiety?

Psychological responses can be (Coppola, 2021):

• disadaptive. For many people, the mental cost of thinking and experiencing the reality of a changing climate is almost too much to bear. Consequently, a common response is to reject this reality. A disadaptive response is characterized by shutdown through denial, splitting, and disavowal (Doherty, 2011; Lewis, 2019).
• adaptive. Other people cultivate various self-preservation effects such as resilience, constructive hope, attunement, cognitive resonance, and self-efficacy. Pihkala (2019) states that one needs to be able to adapt in the face of anxiety rather than being crushed.

How can we respond adaptively?

We have collected some tips for reacting to eco-anxiety in a more constructive and resilient way. In cases of high levels or pathological situations, the support of a specialist is obviously necessary, in other cases we can take some actions.

10 solutions

• Improve your mood

1. Connect with nature. Grow plants and trees on the terrace, balcony, garden.
2. Meditate
3. Disconnect from the internet.

Taking care of yourself through healthy habits is recommended by the American Psychological Association.

• Get better informed

1. Choose your sources of information carefully. Avoid those who talk with disastrous tones, without proposing actions that can be put into practice. Always check what you read! The media often chase sensational headlines.
2. Cut down on time in the midst of negative news. It’s important to be up to date, but don’t overdo it. Zero Waste Goods gives us some very valid advice: if you read a negative story, write a message to “take home” and a change that you want to implement as a response to what you read. Look for positive stories to bring into your perspective that there are so many positive things happening in the world.

• Action as antidote (Coppola 2021)

1. Evaluate your environmental impact and observe how you can improve it by changing some habits (decrease plastic, reduce waste, buy locally, adopt a plant-based diet, etc.). You can follow the advice on our site, for example, to limit your impact through the choice of clothes. Or use an app like AWorld.
2. Find your role, think about the best way you can use your skills to contribute positively. We can’t do EVERYTHING, but we can do something. Also through our political and purchasing choices.

• The strenght of the group

1. Join other groups, for example volunteering. Ecoanxiety is often experienced in solitude. A thesis research conducted at the University of Vermont (Coppola, 2021) revealed how action through involvement in environmental organizations serves as an antidote to ecoanxiety among members of the “Climate Generation” (young people between 18 and 21 years old were interviewed, recruited by six UVM environmental organizations). Choose a reality that works near you to contribute positively to the local community.
2. Share your experience with others and build strong social networks (American Psychological Association). On Clubhouse we meet weekly to network, discuss and support each other among people who care about sustainability (Sustainability Club).
3. Try to be an example to others (remembering that you don’t have to be perfect!).

Photos: Omid Armin (cover); Fransiskus Filibert; Dress ECOde.

The conversation also led us to touch on other topics such as the difference between meteorology and climatology, denial, the best ways to talk about climate change, in addition to the book “Penguins at the equator” written by Serena with Luca Perri and the projects carried out in the schools.

We thank Serena for her availability and the interesting conversation. Climate change is a difficult subject to understand without adequate scientific preparation. It is perceived badly, perceived as distant in time and space, connected to the concept of renunciation, leading some to deny. Serena instead guides us to observe it from another perspective, pleasant, ironic, lighter, clearer and in terms of advantage, comfort and improvement of our life.

Enjoy listening!

Track:
– Introducing Serena
– 3:13 Difference between meteorology and climatology
– 6:32 The quality of weather and climate information in the media
– 12:31 Most popular fake news
– 18:00 Hoaxes and communication of climate change
– 24:20 Deniers and cherry picking
– 25:45 Real situation with reference to climate change and contributing causes
– 30:35 Changing the narrative of climate change
– 37:50 The priorities on which to intervene: mitigation and adaptation actions
– 41:10 What can each of us do
– 45:00 Anthropogenic responsibility in climate change and the “denier cheat sheet”
– 52:43 How to block the deniers?
– 55:30 Confidence in science
– 58:15 The relationship between health emergency and climate emergency
– 1:01:00 Questions from the audience

Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Non esisterà più il silenzio 

Non si parla molto dell’impatto del rumore. Quando è stata l’ultima volta in cui hai sperimentato il silenzio assoluto cogliendo solo i suoni della natura?
Senza sentire auto, moto, bus, camion, motorini, aerei, treni, tram, tagliaerba, aspirafoglie, clacson, macchinari al lavoro. I momenti di silenzio sembrano sempre più rari.

Durante il blocco a causa del Covid-19, abbiamo notato l’assenza dei rumori quotidiani della città, per riscoprire per esempio il canto degli uccellini. Ci hai fatto caso?

Quando capito vicino a una fonte d’acqua, mi piace registrare come memo vocale il suono delle onde o lo scroscio di una cascata. 

Se scende la pioggia tendo l’orecchio per cogliere il rumore delle gocce sulle foglie degli alberi. In un rifugio al mare d’inverno registro le voci degli uccellini che senza sosta cinguettano dal mattino alla sera, ognuno con il suo canto diverso, per risentirlo nei momenti di nostalgia della natura.

C’è un uomo che da oltre 35 anni fa qualcosa di molto più straordinario.

Gordon Hempton è un ecologo acustico, registra paesaggi sonori naturali in tutto il mondo, soprattutto in luoghi meno densamente popolati. Un giorno si addormentò sull’erba, durante una tempesta e sotto la pioggia rimase affascinato dai suoni della natura. Così iniziò a tenerne traccia. “È stata la prima volta in cui ho sperimentato il vero ascolto”.
Gordon ci avverte che il silenzio si sta estinguendo.
Per questo registra suoni che la gente si dimentica di ascoltare. Ha fatto il giro del globo 3 volte in questi anni, alla ricerca dei suoni più rari che possono essere pienamente apprezzati solo in assenza di rumore artificiale.

“La terra è un jukebox alimentato a energia solare.

Il silenzio non è l’assenza di ogni rumore. È la completa assenza di tutte le vibrazioni meccaniche udibili, lasciando solo i suoni della natura al suo massimo naturale. Il silenzio è la presenza di tutto, indisturbato”.

Il suo intento è di renderci veri ascoltatori dell’ambiente, di farci amare la natura e di proteggerla, dandoci la possibilità di ascoltare il sorgere del sole intorno al globo, la neve che si scioglie, le balene che cantano, la pioggia che scende, le ali di farfalla che fluttuano, i canti dei coyote, le cascate che si infrangono, il canto degli uccelli. Perché rischiamo di perdere l’esistenza di luoghi non influenzati dall’attività umana.

“In 10 anni non sarà rimasto più un solo posto silenzioso se non agiamo”.

Gordon afferma che, durante il giorno, l’intervallo medio senza
rumore nelle aree selvagge si è ridotto a meno di cinque minuti.
Nel suo libro racconta del viaggio attraverso gli Stati Uniti su un furgone del 1964, registrando suoni fino allo stato di Washington DC, dove incontra politici e funzionari per fare pressione sulla conservazione del silenzio naturale. 

Gordon ha perso l‘udito da un orecchio e qualche anno fa ha rischiato di diventare del tutto sordo. Un paradosso per chi cerca di salvare il silenzio. One Square Inch of Silence è il progetto di ricerca indipendente che porta avanti per difendere il posto probabilmente più tranquillo e tra i più incontaminati degli Stati Uniti, nella foresta pluviale di Hoh del Parco nazionale di Olympic.

“Quando durante le registrazioni sento un rumore artificiale che disturba, individuo il luogo della fonte, invio una lettera e chiedo la conformità alla normativa”.

Perdere il silenzio vuol dire anche causare un danno alla nostra salute. “Il rumore viene individuato dai sondaggi come una delle più rilevanti cause del peggioramento della qualità della vita ed è ormai riconosciuto come uno dei principali problemi ambientali; pur essendo talora ritenuto meno rilevante rispetto ad altre forme di inquinamento come l’inquinamento atmosferico o delle acque, il rumore suscita sempre più reazioni negative nella popolazione esposta” (fonte: arpa veneto).
Troppo rumore può mandare i nostri corpi in iperattività, attivando continuamente gli ormoni dello stress. L’esposizione ripetuta, oltre alle conseguenze dirette sull’apparato uditivo, può dar luogo a effetti come il disturbo del sonno e del riposo, l’interferenza sulla comunicazione verbale e sull’apprendimento, effetti psicofisiologici, sulla salute mentale e sulle prestazioni, non solo un fastidio genericamente inteso. Il rumore riduce benessere, qualità della vita e salute mentale.
Al contrario il silenzio è salutare. Gordon racconta in un’intervista a Newsweek: “Troppo silenzio ti farà impazzire in pochissimo tempo se stai parlando di passare il tempo da solo in una camera anecoica. Questo fatto è ben provato. Ma in natura, sperimentare troppo silenzio naturale non ti farà impazzire, anzi, potrebbe renderti sano di mente. Studi recenti hanno dimostrato che l’esperienza della natura può essere efficace quanto i farmaci nel trattamento dell’autismo, ad esempio”.

“È nostro diritto dalla nascita ascoltare, in silenzio e indisturbati, l’ambiente naturale e ricavarne qualsiasi significato. Ascoltando il silenzio naturale, ci sentiamo collegati alla terra, al nostro passato evolutivo e a noi stessi”.

A partire già da queste vacanze, possiamo riscoprire il nostro diritto di ascoltare i suoni naturali. Mettiamoci alla ricerca di luoghi lontani dai rumori urbani, avendo cura di minimizzare l’impatto del nostro passaggio soprattutto nei posti più incontaminati. Ascoltiamo le meravigliose registrazioni di Gordon, che ci faranno viaggiare nel mondo scoprendo nuovi suoni.

Cosa c’entra il silenzio con la moda sostenibile? Desideriamo raccontare di tutto ciò che incrementa il nostro amore per la natura, perché ci aiuta a rendere più forte la motivazione a preservarla. Anche con la scelta di ciò che indossiamo.

“La natura è musica.

Ci innamoreremo o non ci innamoreremo di nuovo del pianeta Terra?”

Registrazioni: https://www.soundtracker.com
Film: http://www.soundtrackerthemovie.com/ST/Home.html
Libro: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Gordon-Hempton/45345383

English – The environmental impact of human noise: silence will no longer exist in 10 years. Listen to the man who is saving the voice of nature!

There is not much talk about the impact of noise. When was the last time you experienced absolute silence capturing only the sounds of nature?
Without hearing cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, mopeds, airplanes, trains, trams, lawn mowers, leaf vacuums, horns, machinery at work. Moments of silence seem increasingly rare.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, we noticed the absence of the daily noises of the city, to rediscover, for example, the birds singing. Did you notice it?

When I end up near a source of water, I like to record the sound of waves or the sound of a waterfall as a voice memo. If the rain falls, I strain my ears to catch the sound of the drops on the leaves of the trees. In a shelter by the sea in winter, I record the voices of the birds that chirp from morning to night, each one with his different song, to listen to it in moments of nostalgia for nature. There is a man who has done something much more extraordinary for over 35 years.

Gordon Hempton is an acoustic ecologist, he records natural soundscapes all over the world, especially in less densely populated places. One day he fell asleep on the grass, during a storm and in the rain he was fascinated by the sounds of nature. So he started keeping track of it. “This was the first time I experienced true listening”.
Gordon warns us that silence is extinguishing.
This is why he records sounds that people forget to hear. He has traveled around the globe 3 times in these years, in search of the rarest sounds that can be fully appreciated only in the absence of artificial noise.

“Earth is a solar-powered jukebox.

Silence is not noiselessness. It is the complete absence of all audible mechanical vibrations, leaving only the sounds of nature at her most natural. Silence is the presence of everything, undisturbed”.

His intent is to make us true listeners of the environment, to make us love nature and to protect it, giving us the opportunity to listen to the sunrise around the globe, the snow that melts, the whales that sing, the rain that falls, fluttering butterfly wings, coyote songs, crashing waterfalls, birdsong. Because we risk losing the existence of places not influenced by human activity.

“In 10 years there will no longer be a single silent place if we do not act”.

Gordon says that during the day, the average noiseless interval in the wild areas has decreased to less than five minutes. In his book he tells of the journey across the United States in a 1964 bus, recording sounds up to the state of Washington DC, where he meets politicians and officials to put pressure on the preservation of natural silence.

Where does the noise come from? The sources can be positioned inside the rooms, such as for example appliances and air conditioners, or placed outside the building. The external sources can in turn be grouped into three main categories (fonte Arpa):

– productive activities;
– temporary construction and road construction sites;
– means of road, rail, air transport (traffic).

Gordon lost his hearing in one ear and a few years ago risked becoming completely deaf. A paradox for who is engaged in saving silence. One Square Inch of Silence is the independent research project that he carries on to defend the probably most peaceful and among the most pristine places in the United States, in the Hoh rainforest of the Olympic National Park.

During the sound recording, “when I hear an artificial noise that disturbs, I identify the source, I send a letter and ask for compliance”.

Losing silence also means a damage to our health. “Noise is identified by surveys as one of the most significant causes of the deterioration of the quality of life and is now recognized as one of the main environmental problems; although it is sometimes considered less relevant than other forms of pollution such as air or water pollution, the noise provokes more and more negative reactions in the exposed population” (source: arpa veneto).

Too much noise can send our bodies in overdrive, continuously activating stress hormones. Repeated exposure, in addition to the direct consequences on the auditory system, can give rise to effects such as sleep and rest disturbance, interference on verbal communication and learning, psychophysiological effects, mental health and performance, not only a nuisance generally understood. Noise reduces well-being, quality of life and mental health.
On the contrary, silence is healthy. Gordon said in an interview with Newsweek: “Too much silence will drive you mad in no time at all if you are talking about spending time alone in an anechoic chamber. That fact is well established. But in nature, experiencing too much natural silence will not drive you mad—in fact, it might make you sane. Recent studies have shown that nature experience can be as effective as medication in the treatment of autism, for example”.

“It is our birthright to listen, quietly and undisturbed, to the natural environment and take whatever meanings we may from it. By listening to natural silence, we feel connected to the land, to our evolutionary past, and to ourselves”.

Starting from this vacation, we can rediscover our right to listen to natural sounds. Start looking for places far from urban noise, paying attention to minimize the impact of our passage, especially in the most unpolluted places.  Listen to the wonderful recordings of Gordon, which will make you travel the world discovering new sounds.

What does silence have to do with sustainable fashion? We would like to write about everything that increases our love for nature, because it helps us to strengthen the motivation to preserve it. Even with the choice of what we wear.

“Nature is music.

Will we or will we not fall back in love with planet Earth?”

Sound tracker: https://www.soundtracker.com
Movie: http://www.soundtrackerthemovie.com/ST/Home.html
Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Gordon-Hempton/45345383

Photos: Boba Jovanovic, Scott Umstattd, Jacek Smoter

Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Temperature blanket

Un nuovo modo di diffondere il concetto di cambiamenti climatici si sta diffondendo: il progetto non convenzionale di maglieria e uncinetto Temperature blanket (coperta termica) lo traduce nella materia fatta di fili colorati. 

Josie George ha trovato un modo per visualizzare un concetto astratto come quello del cambiamento climatico. Mettendo a frutto la sua abilità a maglia, ha iniziato creando una sciarpa in cui ogni riga rappresenta la temperatura e il clima nella sua città. Un filo colorato indica la temperatura, una seconda riga mostra se un giorno particolare è stato nuvoloso, soleggiato, piovoso o nevoso. 

“Ho deciso che quest’anno, ogni giorno, avrei lavorato a maglia una riga su una sciarpa per segnare la corrispondente temperatura/clima giornaliero della mia città. Mi è sembrato un buon modo per affrontare il cambiamento climatico e l’anno che cambia. Un modo per prestare attenzione e non distogliere lo sguardo”.

Il suo progetto pubblicato su Twitter ha ispirato tante altre persone e ognuna interpreta in modo personale il concetto del clima che si modifica nel tempo. Più spesso sono utilizzati i colori dell’arcobaleno, alcuni scelgono solo colori pastello o una tavolozza più limitata. Punti, segni, oggetti creati cambiano da persona a persona dando vita a un’individuale trasposizione della propria visione dei cambiamenti climatici nella materia.

Desideri provare anche tu? Qui trovi un grafico stampabile gratuito che ti darà un’idea delle temperature e delle combinazioni di colori corrispondenti. Scrivici e seguiremo il tuo progetto!

English – Temperature blanket: colored threads to interpret the abstract concept of climate change

A new way of spreading the concept of climate change is becoming popular: the unconventional knitting and crochet project Temperature blanket translates it into the material made of colored threads.

Josie George has found a way to visualize an abstract concept such as that of climate change. By putting her knitting skills to good use, she started by creating a scarf in which each row represents the temperature and the climate in her city. A coloured thread indicates the temperature, a second line shows if a particular day has been cloudy, sunny, rainy or snowy.

“I decided that this year, every day, I would knit a row on a scarf to mark the corresponding daily temperature/weather of my town. It felt like a good way to engage with the changing climate and with the changing year. A way to notice and not look away”.

Her project published on Twitter has inspired many other people and each one interprets in a personal way the concept of the climate that changes over time. Rainbow colours are most often used, some choose only pastel colours or a more limited palette. Stitches, signs, created objects change from person to person, giving life to an individual transposition of one’s vision of climate change in the matter.

Do you want to try it too? Here you will find a free printable chart  that will give you an idea of the temperatures and the corresponding color combinations. Write to us and we will follow your project!

 Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: 20-libri-per-ragazzi

É da un po’ di tempo che desidero scrivere questo articolo, rimandando a un (breve) momento di riposo festivo, finalmente trovato!

In novembre l’Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore G. Curcio di Ispica (Ragusa), mi ha accolto calorosamente per ascoltare la storia della spedizione per ripulire le coste norvegesi dai rifiuti, proprio dove è stata ritrovata la balena del documentario di Sky24 A plastic whale. Più di 100 alunni presenti all’incontro! Aspettavamo meno classi, ma man mano che si spargeva nei corridoi la notizia del racconto di questa balena, si aggiungevano ragazzi interessati. E c’è anche chi ha voluto sapere riguardo la moda sostenibile!

Dopo la presentazione, un’insegnante mi ha chiesto aiuto nel trovare libri che sensibilizzino sui temi ambientali, di narrativa e adatti a ragazzi delle superiori. Non libri esplicitamente didattici ma romanzi, in cui il racconto inviti all’amore per la natura.

Così mi sono trovata a costruire una piccola lista di letture consigliate, pensando a diversi tipi di gusti letterari. La condivido qui perché possa essere utile anche ai lettori di Dress Ecode.

• Le mie fiabe africane – Nelson Mandela
• L’uomo che piantava gli alberi – Jean Giorno
• La ragazza sull’albero – Julia Butterfly Hill
• Tu sei il mio mondo – Timothee de Fombelle
• L’isola di Arcangelo – Mattia Luisa 
• Il mondo di Anna – Gaarder Jostein
• Margherita Dolcevita – Stefano Benni
• Storia di una gabbianella e del gatto che le insegnò a volare – Luis Sepulveda
• Anthill – Edward O. Wilson 
• Il passaggio dell’orso – Giuseppe Festa
• Walden ovvero vita nei boschi – Henry David Thoreau
• Il barone rampante – Italo Calvino
• Il richiamo della foresta – Jack London
• 25 grammi di felicità – Massimo Vacchetta, Antonella Tomaselli
• Il gabbiano Jonathan Livingstone – Richard Bach
• Il mondo senza di noi – Alan Weisman
• L’evoluzione di Calpurnia – Jaqueline Kelly
• Il cane, il lupo e Dio – Folco Terzani
• Il bacio della Dea Montagna – Marco Bosonetto
• Pensare come una montagna – A sand county almanac – Aldo Leopold

Che ne dite? Avete altri titoli di narrativa per ragazzi da suggerire?

Buona lettura!

Foto di copertina: Laura Kapfer on Unsplash

English – Dress ECOde’s lifestyle: 20 books to inspire boys and girls to love nature

It’s some time I would like to write this article, postponing to a (short) moment of holiday rest, finally found!

In November, the Higher Education Institute G. Curcio of Ispica (Ragusa) welcomed me warmly to hear the story of the expedition to clean up the Norwegian coast from waste, just where the whale of the Sky24 documentary A plastic whale was found. More than 100 students were at the meeting! We expected fewer classes, but as the news of this whale’s story spread in the corridors, interested students joined. And there were also those who wanted to know about sustainable fashion!

After the presentation, a teacher asked me for help in finding books that raise awareness on environmental issues, of narrative literature and suitable for high school students. Not explicitly didactic books but novels, in which the story invites to love nature.

So I found myself building a small list of recommended books, thinking about different types of literary tastes. I share it here because it can also be useful to readers of Dress Ecode.

• Favorite African Folktales – Nelson Mandela
• The man who planted trees – Jean Giorno
• The legacy of Luna – Julia Butterfly Hill
• Celeste, My Planet – Timothee de Fombelle
• Archangel’s Island – Mattia Luisa
• The world according to Anna – Gaarder Jostein
• Margherita Dolcevita – Stefano Benni
• The Story of A Seagull and The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly – Luis Sepulveda
• Anthill – Edward O. Wilson
• Il passaggio dell’orso – Giuseppe Festa
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods – Henry David Thoreau
• The Baron in the Trees – Italo Calvino
• The Call of the Wild – Jack London
• 25 grams of happiness – Massimo Vacchetta, Antonella Tomaselli
• Jonathan Livingston Seagull: A Story – Richard Bach
• The world without us – Alan Weisman
• The evolution of Calpurnia Tate – Jaqueline Kelly
• The dog, the wolf and God – Folco Terzani
• The kiss of the Mountain Goddess – Marco Bosonetto
• A sand county almanac – Aldo Leopold

What do you think? Do you have any other children’s fiction titles to suggest?

Enjoy the reading!

Cover photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash

 Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Audio-à-porter – Lancio e contest!

L’idea nasce una sera, dopo una piacevole cena, facendo partire la ricerca di un nome appropriato relativo alla moda e alla possibilità di articoli pronti da ascoltare.

Audio-à-porter è un progetto iniziato più di due mesi fa, pensando a chi dice che non ha tempo di leggere notizie e a chi desidera ascoltare e intanto informarsi mentre è in palestra, cammina, corre, si allena, viaggia, è sui mezzi di trasporto, cucina, si occupa delle faccende domestiche o nei momenti di relax.

Abbiamo cominciato a inserire in ogni articolo la possibilità di ascoltarlo invece di leggerlo, semplicemente cliccando sul nome dell’episodio in verde accanto al simbolo delle cuffie:

Al momento sono caricati circa 20 episodi, pian piano estenderemo ai principali articoli pubblicati fino a oggi (più di 150), oltre d’ora in poi ai nuovi.

Se desiderate solo ascoltare, potete accedere direttamente al canale podcast da Spreaker, You Tube, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast e a breve Google Podcast.

Il nuovo canale è gratuito e ci piacerebbe trovare uno sponsor, che sia sulla nostra lunghezza d’onda, per poter consentire di continuare a offrire i contenuti senza chiedere nessun contributo agli ascoltatori.

In occasione del lancio, per voi un contest dedicato! Entro venerdì 28 febbraio 2020, scrivici la tua storia sull’abbigliamento sostenibile: quello che fai per essere più green ed etico nella scelta dei tuoi vestiti, un episodio della tua vita relativo alla moda sostenibile, il racconto di un capo vintage o di famiglia per te speciale. Sceglieremo la storia più bella e scriveremo un articolo su di te, intervistandoti di persona con una piccola sorpresa se ne avrai il piacere, raccontando di te anche su Audio-à-porter.

Diventa protagonista dell’impegno per una moda più attenta alle persone e all’ambiente! 

Invia la tua storia a: contact_us@dressecode.it

Desideriamo portarti, in maniera garbata, le notizie sulla moda sostenibile e i suggerimenti su come vestire in modo più green ed etico. Buon ascolto!

English – Audio-à-porter is born, the podcast of audio articles on sustainable fashion. And a contest is starting: you can participate to be a protagonist!

The idea was born one evening, after a pleasant dinner, starting the search for an appropriate name related to fashion and the possibility of ready-to-listen articles.

Audio-à-porter is a project started more than two months ago, thinking of those who say they do not have time to read news and who wish to listen and in the meantime be informed while in the gym, walking, running, training, traveling, and on the means of transport, cooking, takes care of household chores or in moments of relaxation.

We began to include in each article the possibility of listening to it instead of reading it, simply by clicking on the name of the episode in green next to the headphones symbol:

At the moment about 20 episodes are uploaded, slowly we will extend to the main articles published so far (more than 150), from now on to new ones too.

If you only want to listen, you can directly access the podcast channel from Spreaker, You Tube, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast and soon Google Podcast.

The new channel is free and we would like to find a sponsor, who is on our wavelength, to be able to continue offering content without asking any listeners for any contribution.

On the occasion of the launch, a dedicated contest for you! By Friday 28 February 2020, write your story about sustainable clothing: what you do to be greener and more ethical in choosing your clothes, an episode of your life related to sustainable fashion, the story of a vintage or family garment that is special for you. We will choose the most beautiful story and write an article about you, interviewing you in person with a little surprise if you have the pleasure, telling you about yourself on Audio-à-porter.

Become the protagonist of the commitment to a fashion that cares more for people and the environment!

Send your story to: contact_us@dressecode.it

We want to bring you, in a polite way, the news on sustainable fashion and suggestions on how to dress in a greener and ethical way. Enjoy listening!