Part 7.- Gapped text

You are going to read a newspaper article about clothes and the environment. Six paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap (41-46). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

Is it possible to be green and fashionable?

Despite the huge numbers of people who car about the environment and love clothes, there is a basic contradiction about being green and being fashionable. This is because the fashion industry depends on constant stream of ever-changing trends, which means you have to keep consuming. However, buying a lot of things that you don’t need, in this case new clothes, is harmful to the environment.

1.   41.- ____

Firstly, develop your own unique style, so, rather than basing your choice of clothes on whatever the fashion industry says you should, choose your own look. If you do this, you’ll look a lot more like an individual, and probably more genuinely stylish. It does not require any sense of style to copy the looks in glossy magazines. It does require some to develop your own. You’ll find that because your clothes aren’t going in and out of fashion every week, you’ll buy fewer and this helps the environment.

42.- _____

The problem with buying every changing fashion is that it looks out of date within a few weeks. If you buy a white T-shirt with a slogan because that is the thing right now, in just a few months, it will look silly. The trend might come round again, but probably not in the same form. On the other hand, if you buy a white T-shirt, it will look fine until it wears out. Opt for simple designs, especially with larger items such as coats.

43.- _____

A variation on this is to organize clothes swaps with friends or neighbours. This way, everybody gets new clothes without actually consuming any more resources. You can feel pleased with yourself because you’ll have earned a reputation for being green.

44.- _____

While we’re on the subject of the materials, here is a word of warning. Try to avoid buying clothes made from animal products, especially fur. Not only will this have the effect of reducing animal suffering, it will also reduce your environmental footprint; animal products have a larger impact than plant products because they consume more resources.

45.- _____

So, let’s imagine you have taken our advice and gone for simple second-hand, organic clothes, but you still want to enjoy passing trends. The gentlest way to do this is to go for small things like jewellery, bags and shoes which use up fewer resources than an entire new wardrobe every month.

46.- _____

In the end, what you wear is your choice and on-one would suggest that this should not be a free choice. But we hope that, having read this, you will be fully aware of the impact your choices may have on the health of our planet.

A.- If plain-looking clothes don’t appeal to you, an alternative eco-friendly option is to buy second-hand clothes. The environmental impact is practically zero as nothing new is being made. If your image of shops which sell second-hand clothes is piles of shabby pullovers and jeans, think again. Find the right shops, and you’ll discover a lot of very attractive clothes, often for a lot less than you’d pay for new.

B.- On the other hand, your clothes habit is probably not the biggest part of your carbon footprint. If being fashionable is important to you, compromise where can to make the habit a bit greener, and concentrate your planet-saving activities elsewhere. There are a number of simple actions you can take.

C.- Part of the growing eco-friendly lifestyle includes being mindful not only of what we eat and how we recycle, but also being more aware of what goes into the clothes we buy.

D.- Remember, too that these are the sort of items widely available from independent producers, meaning that you can support small businesses rather than massive, planet-damaging multinationals. And, if you have any skill with crafts yourself, you could even note the latest tend and make your own version.

E.- Some people think that another way of achieving this is to buy only natural fabrics, like cotton. But actually the production of some plant-based fabrics involves the use of enormous quantities of pesticides. In fact, cotton is an especially dirty crop, with methods used in its cultivation which can wreck the local environment. If you want to avoid adding to soil and water pollution In this manner, simply opt for organic fabrics.

F.- This also applies to leather clothing production, which supports the not-very-environmentally-friendly cattle farming industry. However, since leather is a practical material rather that simply a fashion fabric like fur, we’ll allow an exception for coats, shoes and boots.

G.- You can achieve the same effect by buying higher quality clothes because these will not need to be replaced as frequently as a greater number of cheap clothes. This is not only better for the environment, it also means you’ll have simpler, more attractive clothes even if they are less obviously stylish.