UKC

Saw this item in latest edition of Which (I have no connection to Which other than as a subscriber) and found it interesting.  The list of PFC-free outdoor clothing retailers is useful.

Which Magazine July 2023, p. 26
How Your Outdoor Clothing is Harming the Planet

Waterproof and breathable, today’s outdoor technical clothing is brilliant at being both. But this technology has come at a heavy environmental cost.

PFCs (also known as PFAS) are a large group of chemicals that unfortunately come with a lifetime guarantee far longer than your waterproof jacket. Sometimes called ‘forever chemicals’, PFCs can be found in our water, soil and air - and they can take as long as 1,000 years to degrade.

The effects of PFCs on flora and fauna are largely unknown. However, two types of PFCs are now globally banned because of their links to serious human health issues. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently consulting on plans to ban all PFCs, because the concern over their impact is so great.

Getting rid of your waterproofs or the myriad other items in your home likely to contain PFCs, such as frying pans or stain-resistant furniture, isn’t the best option as it just contributes to landfill. Plus, it’s the manufacturing process rather than general use of these items that causes much of the discharge of PFCs into the environment.

However, when it’s time to replace these items, look for PFC-free. Some waterproof coatings have never used any PFCs (for example, Nikwax) and some other brands are phasing out PFCs, too.

Head to https://www.which.co.uk/waterproofclothing to see a full list of PFC-free retailers.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

......and of course, don't fly, don't drive and don't eat meat for a real benefit to you and the planet : )

In reply to Phil1919:

The trick, it increasingly seems, is actually to not have been born in the first place.

In reply to Rampart:

No, that would be a cop out.

In reply to Rampart:

That sounds awfully like it would involve a Time Machine - and I’m no expert but I suspect they are far from carbon neutral 

In reply to Rampart: it just feels a no brainer to me to change my behaviour whilst I've still got a choice. Things seem to be changing fast.

In reply to Phil1919:

I agree. Why would you not? 

In reply to JH74:

......because change is difficult. I tended to think of what I would lose if I didn't own a car and didn't realise what i would gain. It quite quickly dawned on me that it wasn't a punishment.

In reply to JH74:

Because meat is yummy and driving and flying get one to where one wants to go climbing?

In reply to Robert Durran:

'Yummy'? 

We're f&£ked, aren't we.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Very interesting. Sad to see some good gear manufacturers falling short, e.g. ME, Montane.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

really interesting, Thanks!

My bugbear is the British climber fascination in always climbing in petroleum derived clothing, even with dry summer conditions OR indoors! who said you have to wear petroleum based products to climb? Cotton is a wonderful breathable fabric, as is wool.

In reply to yodadave:

I think you need to urgently reassess your position on cotton:

https://www.trvst.world/sustainable-living/fashion/environmental-impact-of-...

Even wool production can be very bad 

https://theecologist.org/2019/mar/12/environmental-impact-wool

In reply to yodadave:

What is wrong with petroleum based clothing as such? I thought the problem with petroleum was burning it.

In reply to Flinticus:

What is your point? Many people love eating meat. Doesn't mean they can't cut back. I have, but I still find it hugely pleasurable when I do eat it.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Microplastic pollution, although there's an argument that we've so f#*ked up the biosphere anyway with plastics that will persist for thousands of years that there's little point stopping now. See also rising living
standards and billions more humans.

Edit: thoroughly pessimistic I know but we humans can't stop. An asteroid impact might be best

In reply to Phil1919:

You are on the right track: New Nordic dietary guidelines recommend us to cut down our weekly intake of red meat to not more than 350 g. For the climate!

In reply to yodadave:

Do you use hemp ropes?

In reply to FactorXXX:

I’m a meat eating, diesel car driving western consumer and even I can see that for the shit/petty argument it is. 

In reply to FactorXXX:

Natural fibre clothes are better than synthetic ones in many ways, but more expensive.

Natural fibre ropes are shit.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Even better, buy second hand wherever possible, and use repair services whenever they are available!

A very interesting list, thanks 

In reply to Tyler:

It was a tongue in cheek response.
However, if you want a semi serious answer, it does highlight an issue that we're all guilty of in that we tend to cherry pick how we as individuals approach the problem of climate change and use that to justify our actions.
In this case, it's someone criticising other people wearing a few items of synthetic clothing, but assumingly more than happy to use an abundance of synthetics in their climbing equipment.  On a climate change level, that makes absolutely no sense.
The logical answer if you were really serious on a personal level about climate change would be to stop climbing as it's only a 'hobby' and not important in the grand scheme of things.
That's obviously unrealistic and as no one else on the planet is going to make a similar sacrifice we might as well just carry on as the best we can...
For perspective:
I wear 100% cotton T-Shirts
Not sure about my shorts as I'm currently wearing them and don't want to take them off to read the label...  
Fleeces.  I own many, but have never washed any.
Jeans.  I assume that they're denim.  Whatever that is...  Blue cotton?
 

In reply to FactorXXX:

It is, and generally the dyeing process is far from environmentally friendly. 

On a more serious note, there's a number of things we can do as individuals which would make a huge impact if everybody would be doing them: cut or eliminate meat intake; fly less; drive less; bike more; use trains more; repair, don't replace; only buy new when absolutely necessary. 

Some of these are easy, some of these are hard - especially when you're a climber living in a flat country. 

In the grand scheme of things, as long as there's (petro)chemical, shipping and agricultural industries that are pretty much exempt from implementing any big steps forward, you're pretty much only doing them to cleanse your conscience. Which is also worth something I suppose. 

In reply to girlymonkey:

A couple of manufacturers were doing free repairs on their trade stands at last years Kendal MFF, so I think more could be done towards cost effective repairs (not necessarily free), whilst companies will sell a little less, good repairs would build brand loyalty as some of us get quite attached to our favourite bits of clothing. 

Edit. Or, does a washed out tired fleece emit more micro plastics than a newer one, should we be trading in plastic clothing before they disintegrate? 

In reply to wintertree:

Only if you get them new.  Plenty of serviceable stuff in charity shops in just about any town centre these days.

In reply to FactorXXX:

There is more to concern for the environment than climate change. Over the past 50 years or so, we (as humans) have caused immense damage to the natural environment, destroying and degrading habitats, spreading pollution, depleting natural resources and so on. It seems obvious to me that we should all be doing what we can to reduce the load we impose on the environment, and while it may not be possible to reduce that load to zero, there are things we can all do to make a contribution to the well-being of the environment. Giving more regard to our clothing choices is a small but fairly simple part of that contribution, and helps contribute the overall awareness of the damage we are collectively causing. 

I suspect that with all this stuff, there is a tendency for people with little use for a car to say "drive less", people who like cycling to say "cycle more", non sport climbers to say "fly less", vegetarians to say "stop eating meat", non fashion victims to say "buy less clothes" etc. It is easy to exhort others to do what comes at little cost to oneself.

In reply to Robert Durran:

That is not an excuse to avoid making changes to one's own lifestyle choices. 

In reply to Harry Jarvis:

No, but I think it is understandable that different people will find different changes easier, and I'm not sure that, for example, cyclists preaching to climbers about cycling everywhere is terribly helpful. Or for a scumbag like me sitting in a cold house wearing three tatty old jumpers to preach to an indoor loving fashionista about turning down the heating.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Well yes, who's going to change the hard things when there are easy things to change? It would be idiotic to do otherwise.

Also, you don't necessarily know what it's cost for people to be in the position in which they are currently in. People who have little car use might have changed their circumstances so that they manage to drive less, or paid a price for that change. The same for vegetarians, most haven't always been vegetarians they've made a conscious change to be one. People might not be sport climbers because they don't want to fly so much, the climate motivation might trump the activity not the other way around.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Thanks for the info. Despite the whataboutery on the thread I'll find this useful if I ever buy a new waterproof.

In reply to MeMeMe:

Yes, of course, but I think there is quite a lot of "I did this, so you have no excuse not to do so too", when it might have been the easy stuff for them and harder or a much bigger sacrifice for others. 

In reply to FactorXXX:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

this gave me a great giggle and is an absolute fair point. I have used one once for the novelty but no i dont, however when its time for a new rope I will be looking at eco options like the Edelrid or mammut ones currently available

In reply to Offwidth:

yes, I should have stated organic cotton and ethically produced, local as you can wool.

A case can be made for either argument but i believe staying away from oil based products is still preferable 

In reply to FactorXXX:

yes, everything we do has an impact.

however using that as a license to do whatever we want seems a little nihilistic.

We can still choose to pursue a hobby and do as little harm as possible, that is an option.

In reply to MeMeMe:

I've recently taken the step to transition to a meat and dairy-free diet. I love the taste, mouth feel, and general experience of eating meat, and the nutrition it provides, but can no longer live with the cognitive dissonance involved. I'm coming at it from a 'doing what I can to reduce animal suffering' perspective, but I am convinced there are environmental benefits also. 

And no, it's not easy when one has been eating meat for 45 years, but, like being cognisant of the manufacturing provenance of your outdoor clothing, is a small step in the direction of 'doing what you can' to live better (leave a smaller footprint/reduce suffering among conscious creatures/etc.) 

I think people are generally too quick to dismiss otherwise good or ethical proposals, where they detect an inconsistency or potential hypocrisy, as an excuse to carry on as they are. 

e.g. Why should I listen to you about the suffering of the 150m factory-farmed animals raised for food in the UK who will never in their lives see daylight.... when you still fly once a year and use an iPhone!? Don't you know about the condition of the miners digging for the cobalt in the battery?! Why should I listen to you about reduce/reuse/recycle when your jacket has PFCs in it?! etc etc.

I think those sorts of arguments are disingenuous and a bit of a lazy excuse for not changing anything in our own lives. Let's all assume as a baseline that we're all messed up, lazy and selfish (also known as being human) and try to move stutteringly, imperfectly, in a positive direction. 

I know I feel as much as a dick as anyone else, recycling my yoghurt pots when China is building a coal-fired power station every week.... but I still can't bring myself to put them in landfill.... 

And me not eating bacon any more seems a bit redundant when we factory farm 1.2m pigs in the UK, and China has over 450m on the go.

But stil...