Also happy Pride month! Firstly, I just want to preface to all of my lovely and empathetic readers, I hope you are all doing okay, and feel free to reach out because I know this news hasn’t been easy on any of us. I hate to have to even mention such apocalyptic/disastrous events like the Canadian wildfires, but we can’t keep ignoring these events, as they are worsening every year, and now affecting more people in developed nations than ever before. Remember last year having the hottest days on record? Well, now that will be this year…
The steps I used to host a clothing swap
Set a date and time - I chose the first Saturday of June from 9-4, allowing for the possibility of more people to attend.
Find a venue - My swap was completely free, so I had to find a free venue. Luckily, my local community center was super kind and flexible and let me stay 7 hours without having to pay the opening/closing fees! Consider asking around, because people may be more willing to help out if they know what it’s for!
Advertise - Even though I tried really hard on this, I still think I could have advertised more. I found every free event publication site (Eventbrite led to a few tickets), put up a few posters, posted it on Instagram, told friends, posted on BuyNothing (if you haven’t joined your local group, you totally should!!), and my mom, who was hosting a community yard sale, included the swap on her ad.
Find some clothing - Ideally, you need some pieces to start with, so the first attendees have something to swap with. I collected donations from my local college during their move-out week (they have a huge problem of just throwing it all away) and collected over 300 clothing items, as well as other things like room decor (and so many cheap, plastic microwavable plates). Another option is to ask your attendees to drop off their items before the swap starts.
Execute! - I convinced two of my friends to help me out, which was immensely helpful and appreciated, allowing there to always be one of us at all times, and keeping us entertained during the down times.
And here are a few tips I learned during the actual event:
I had a check-in sheet so I could keep track of the clothing items, get some G&S sign-ups and notify them of future clothing swap events, however, it was largely ignored and I just didn’t remind anyone. However, towards the end, I remembered to ask for someone’s email who was interested in attending again next year.
Nothing stayed organized! We just used tables and threw all of one size down in one spot, but I didn’t have size signs, so everything got jumbled together, like an off-brand Goodwill Outlet (the bins). This did allow people to explore every section but likely prohibited them from seeing every piece.
Overall, it was really fun and everyone who came seemed to enjoy it, plus I’m already thinking of next year… or sooner?
Our current cataclysmic state
I’m definitely not the most qualified person to talk on this so please check out these great articles/issues from some talented, fellow climate Substack writers!
Also, I surprisingly haven’t seen any mention of how unseasonably dry it’s been lately, which has to be partly to blame for wildfires this early on. And why would we have a dry stretch? Surely our climate couldn’t be to blame (says every Republican politician ever).
Also, on an unrelated note, is anyone else worried about the 2024 presidential elections? I was really hoping Kamala Harris would be running…
Youth review – heart-stopping stories in China’s sweatshop capital (The Guardian)
7 Best Clothing Apps For Ethical And Sustainable Fashion (Sustainable Baddie)
After 5 years, Greta Thunberg holds her final school strike for the climate (Grist)
A solution to plastic pollution that’s not just recycling (Vox)
Wrap-up
Thanks for tuning in! Comment below, what are you excited about? I recently returned from an environmental science camp which was really fun, and am attending a weeklong virtual lecture/program on sustainability at the end of June! :)