Nov 22, 2022
Our consumption of clothing has risen by 400% in the last two decades. The textile industry produces 10% of global greenhouse emissions. Approximately 85% of clothing ends up in a landfill, and the average U.S. shopper doesn’t wear 50% of the clothing in their closet. How’s that for some eye-opening stats? The textile industry is a major contributor to climate change, and there is no time like the present to start doing something about it. It’s time to make clothes a force for good.
That’s what Lu Barnes and & Scott Welch have set out to accomplish through the Clothes4Good campaign, a partnership between EcoAthletes and The Loopt Foundation that leverages the voices of professional athletes to help you make simple steps to reduce the negative impact of your clothes on the environment.
Lauren, or Lu, Barnes is the captain of the Tacoma, Washington-based Olympique (OL) Reign soccer team and is a member of EcoAthletes, an organization that inspires and coaches athletes to lead climate action.
Scott Welch is the Executive Director of The Loopt Foundation, a Portland-based nonprofit organization working to eliminate textile waste through partnership, innovation, and education.
You’ll walk away from this episode knowing how you can make small changes in your shopping habits and how to make your clothes a force for good.
About Lauren “Lu” Barnes:
Born and raised in Southern California, Lauren Barnes is the star defender of the NWSL’s OL Reign. In addition to being named an All-American while playing at UCLA, Lauren was invited to train with the USWNT, competing with both the U20 and U23 teams. Lauren has been in Seattle with the OL Reign since 2013 and played abroad in both Australia and Sweden on loan intermittently.
While Lauren has always been keen on environmentalism, her travel around the world for her career has been the catalyst for her activism and advocacy. After seeing the poverty and unsanitary conditions in many places abroad, Lauren has been able to work with Water1st in Ethiopia to build clean water systems in addition to her sustainability efforts in the U.S.
About Scott Welch
Scott Welch is a senior-level team leader dedicated to evolving clothing and textiles into a force for good. He currently is the founding Executive Director of the Loopt Foundation, an organization working to become the leading and most creative force for global textile sustainability and circularity. Previously, he built and directed the Global Corporate Relations Program for the Columbia Sportswear Company family of brands including Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and Sorel (CSC) for over a decade. At Columbia, Welch created dynamic campaigns with the National Park Foundation, Ocean Foundation, Planet Water, and others featured by The New York Times, CNN, National Geographic, National Public Radio, and other local/regional media outlets and directed the donation of almost $50 million in cash and product. Welch has a BS in Political Science from Portland State University, was a founding member of the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Management External Advisory Board, and current Pro Tem Instructor in the program, earned certifications in Business Strategy from McKinsey Academy and International Grantmaking from Tufts University served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Portland State University School of Business and is an Advisory Board Member for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
About Lauren “Lu” Barnes:
Born and raised in Southern California, Lauren Barnes is the star defender of the NWSL’s OL Reign. In addition to being named an All-American while playing at UCLA, Lauren was invited to train with the USWNT, competing with both the U20 and U23 teams. Lauren has been in Seattle with the OL Reign since 2013 and played abroad in both Australia and Sweden on loan intermittently.
While Lauren has always been keen on environmentalism, her travel around the world for her career have been the catalyst for her activism and advocacy. After seeing the poverty and unsanitary conditions in many places abroad, Lauren has been able to work with Water1st in Ethiopia to build clean water systems in addition to her sustainability efforts in the U.S.
About Scott Welch
Scott Welch is a senior level team leader dedicated to evolving clothing and textiles into a force for good. He currently is the founding Executive Director of the Loopt Foundation, an organization working to become the leading and most creative force for global textile sustainability and circularity. Previously, he built and directed the Global Corporate Relations Program for the Columbia Sportswear Company family of brands including Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and Sorel (CSC) for over a decade. At Columbia, Welch created dynamic campaigns with the National Park Foundation, Ocean Foundation, Planet Water, and others featured by The New York Times, CNN, National Geographic, National Public Radio and other local/regional media outlets and directed the donation of almost $50 million in cash and product. Welch has a BS in Political Science from Portland State University, was a founding member of the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Management External Advisory Board and current Pro Tem Instructor in the program, earned certifications in Business Strategy from McKinsey Academy and International Grantmaking from Tufts University, served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Portland State University School of Business, and is an Advisory Board Member for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Connect with Lu
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/luuuuluuu/
Make a Difference Travel Kitshttps://www.madtravelkits.com
Connect with Loopt Foundation
Wesbite https://www.loopt.org
Clothes4Good https://www.clothes4good.net
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/looptfoundation/
Support the Podcast
Support the podcast by shopping with my affiliate partners. By shopping using my links and promo codes, you help to fund the ongoing production of the show. These companies align with my mission to help make people and the planet safer, healthier, and happier. View a full list of my affiliate partners and the discount codes here. https://linktr.ee/thisorsomethingbetter
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Use the promo code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off your first purchase www.beautycounter.com/regannelson