紧跟最新时尚潮流或许很有乐趣，对许多人来说，穿着打扮也是展现个性和自我认同的重要方式。然而，时尚产业也是对环境影响最大的行业之一。因此，越来越多的人开始思考：如何在表达个性的同时，减少时尚消费对环境造成的影响。
词汇：fashion 时尚
1 Social media brings influencer and celebrity culture to our phone screens, making it hard to resist the temptation of jumping on all the latest fashion trends. But when the fashion industry is responsible for up to 10% of global emissions, according to the UN, more than the aviation and shipping industry combined, we could all make an effort to make more conscious clothing decisions.
2 Most of the environmental impact comes from the use of raw materials – a huge amount of oil is needed to produce synthetic materials like polyester, for example. According to the waste charity Wrap, making a pair of jeans requires 10,000 litres of water! Many clothing companies have launched "eco" collections, using organic or recycled materials, but critic say this does not address the biggest problem – overconsumption. One rubbish truck of textiles is thrown away every second globally, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. So, how can we have fun with fashion without costing the planet?
3 An answer usually given is to buy second hand. High quality items that might usually cost an arm and a leg at retail price can cost you a fraction. Though buying second-hand clothing is more sustainable than buying new, it often doesn't replace fast fashion habits, rather it supplements them. One of the things we can do instead, writes professor of consumer psychology Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, is 'shopping your closet'. Creating new looks with existing pieces in your wardrobe can be a fun, creative process. She suggests setting yourself a ten-day challenge to wear combinations of your clothes that you have not worn before.
4 Another idea is to get comfortable with having fewer clothes. Decision paralysis may be a familiar feeling when you're getting ready in the morning and thinking 'What on earth am I going to wear?!' That problem falls away when you only have a few t-shirts to choose between. If decluttering your wardrobe feels negative, try a shift in mindset. Professional organiser Marie Kondo says it's not about choosing which items to get rid of, it's about carefully selecting the items which 'spark joy' – keeping only the items which speak to your heart. And for those items which you may only wear once for an occasion, try borrowing from a friend or renting.
5 Overall, we have many options at our fingertips, but if there's one takeaway, it's to avoid impulse purchases. If you find yourself wanting to buy the latest fashion trend, give yourself at least 48 hours to make the decision, and ask yourself, are there ways to avoid buying this new?
测验与练习
一、为本文选择总结句。
a. How to buy more second-hand clothing than new clothing.
b. Following celebrity trends sustainably.
c. How to avoid buying too many clothes.
二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。
1. The aviation industry produces more global emissions than the fashion industry.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
2. Buying and selling lots of clothes is fine, as long as the materials are organic.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
3. Which of the following options is the most sustainable choice?
a. Buy fewer clothes.
b. Buy second-hand clothes.
c. Buy recycled clothes.
4. Fixing your clothes is better than recycling them.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
5. What does 'that problem' refer to in the following sentence? That problem falls away when you only have a few t-shirts to choose between.
a. Decision paralysis
b. Getting ready in the morning
c. Decluttering your wardrobe
三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。
To keep up with the latest 1) _______ there can be a 2) _______ to constantly buy new outfits. Who doesn't like to impress their friends with a fresh new 3) _______? While buying clothes second hand can feel more 4) _______, it doesn't tackle the problem of 5) _______, which leads to excessive waste. Instead, try making new combinations of the clothes you already have.
textiles
trends
temptation
look
retail
price
overconsumption
sustainable
（答案见词汇表后）
词汇表
temptation 诱惑；吸引力强的念头
trend 潮流；流行趋势
conscious 有意识的；经过认真考虑的
overconsumption 过度消费
textile 纺织品
second hand 二手的
cost an arm and a leg 价格极其昂贵
retail price 零售价；标价
sustainable （对环境没有损害或损害很小因而）可持续的
look 穿搭造型；时尚
decision paralysis 选择困难（状态），决策瘫痪
decluttering 整理、清除（不再需要的物品）
get rid of 舍弃，扔掉
at one's fingertips 触手可及的；唾手可得的
impulse purchase 冲动购买，冲动消费
答案
一、为本文选择总结句。
1. c. How to avoid buying too many clothes
二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。
1. b. False. But when the fashion industry is responsible for up to 10% of global emissions, according to the UN, more than the aviation and shipping industry combined, we could all make an effort to make more conscious clothing decisions.
2. b. False. Many clothing companies have launched "eco" collections, using organic or recycled materials, but critics say this does not address the biggest problem – overconsumption.
3. a. Though buying second-hand clothing is more sustainable than buying new, it often doesn't replace fast fashion habits, rather it supplements them.
4. c. Not given. The article doesn't mention anything about repairing clothes.
5. a. 'That problem' refers back to the previous sentence, which is about not being able to decide what to wear in the mornings.
三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。
To keep up with the latest trends there can be a temptation to constantly buy new outfits. Who doesn't like to impress their friends with a fresh new look? While buying clothes second hand can feel more sustainable, it doesn't tackle the problem of overconsumption, which leads to excessive waste. Instead, avoid making impulse purchases, and try making new combinations of the clothes you already have.
