Everyone is buzzing about Sally Jewel and her nomination to the Secretary of Interior position. I read an article this morning describing how she does not fit the standard mold of her former appointees. Instead of wearing cowboy boots and a big felt cowboy hat, she'd rather be wearing Gore-Tex, polar fleece, and hiking boots.
Interesting...
So, it caused me to think a bit about sustainability and the choice of Sally Jewel. Let's just start with the clothes:
Which type of clothing is more sustainable and which set of gear belies a greater understanding of our natural resources.
Well, first of all, if I am the traditional nominee and selection, I'm wearing leather boots with a leather sole (sustainable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly). I'm probably more comfortable in jeans and a cotton button up shirt with a leather belt (once again - sustainable). My headgear is a felt cowboy hat. It may or may not have a leather strip around it, but generally speaking, my get-up is pretty eco-friendly and generally biodegradable. The only true exceptions are my elastic underwear band, the metal from the pants zipper and belt buckle, and perhaps some polyester in my socks. If it's cold, I throw on my Carhart coat - cotton.
Now, if I am Sally, I'm generally described as wearing fleece, Gore-Tex, and hiking boots. So, here's the breakdown: My fleece hat is generated from polyester (oil), my performance wicking under-clothing is probably a polyester blend (not cotton - "cotton kills" - A common phrase spoken by many of the outdoor climbing community). If I'm in a fleece vest then I've drilled onto the ground for it. Lets assume that I am wearing traditional (outdoors) pants from REI. They are generally made from a polyester blend which comes from oil development. My socks are some knock-off performance material that is like wool, but better (nothing natural here). And finally, I'm in my hiking boots, which traditionally were mostly leather, but now are mostly Gore-Tex fabrics with a rubber sole. In the cold, I put on more layers of the same material with a poly Gore-Tex shell. In a nutshell, the whole get-up is derived from oil developmnt and is not bio-degradable, nor truly sustainable.
Maybe we have become so brainwashed by the media and the "green" movement that we have forgotten where we get things from. As long as it looks great and fashionable and has a green label, then it must be good. Well, it's not. Don't preach it if you're not willing to live it. Don't claim it if it's not really true. And don't do it unless you mean it. I'm not against the fleece or the polyester - I use em regularly. However, I also realize where they come from and what the true cost is. Does Sally? Do You? Is she thinking about how to manage the land for EVERYONE'S best interest? Contrary to popular belief, Big Oil is not the great satan here. They provide a resource that we ALL use and NEED. It's time to step back and look at the bigger picture here.
