Rise Of The Guardians Google Drive

[Raymond Freedman]

Havinga teen driver can get expensive, quickly. Maybe one of those young drivers is your teen! Parents and guardians need to take the time to talk to teen drivers about the seriousness of driving safely. Teens should understand that driving is a privilege and if treated lightly it can result in increased premiums and expensive repair bills, and at worst careless behavior behind the wheel could result in their death or the deaths of others.

Insurance.com did a national study to show just how much rates can rise when a teen is added to a policy. In their research, Insurance.com used a family profile of owning a 2019 Honda Accord driven by a 40-year old man buying full coverage. Then they added a 16-year old teen to the policy.

Good driving habits are key to keeping insurance premiums low and affordable. It is also key in keeping your teen and others on the road safe. Be sure to talk to your teen about safe driving habits and be sure you model those safe driving habits to them as well.

Take a moment to review our guide on how to talk to your teen about distracted driving and then sit down with your teen and go over the dangers and risks associated with driving before handing them the keys. This important conversation saves lives.

A massive carbon footprint. According to a summary analysis of a report by the International Energy Agency that was released on November 13, SUVs are the second-biggest cause of the rise in global carbon dioxide emissions during the past decade. Only the power sector is a bigger contributor.

Shame on the White House. Of course, individual actions are no substitute for corporate and government leadership. Whether I drive an SUV or a Prius will make very little difference for the climate. But if Akio Toyoda (the president of Toyota) and Donald Trump (who rides in an armored Cadillac that weighs more than 15,000 pounds) continue to support a rollback of auto-emissions standards, their choices will dramatically increase global warming and air pollution.

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The question of why you drive an SUV is irrelevant because the reason the cars-first transportation system is imposed on us is not about the choices you and I make, it is about the choices that are made for us.

The fast fashion industry is a large-scale global emitter of greenhouse gasses, pollution, and waste. The industry is fueled by wealthy nations and consumers looking to keep up with trends. Here's how trends, social media, and influencers are accelerating an already wasteful and problematic industry.

In 1960, the average American bought up to 25 new pieces of clothing per year. Today the average American buys an average of 70 new garments in a single year but spends around 7% less of their annual income on their clothing budget. This is made possible thanks to the rise of cheap fast fashion allowing consumers to stretch their budgets and buy more than ever before.

Research suggests that if the fashion industry continues to follow this pattern of growth, it will use 25% of the world's annual carbon budget by the year 2050. Not to mention, fast fashion is responsible for significant water pollution and water waste, as well as unsafe labor conditions.

Social media, celebrities, influencers, and societal pressures have a larger impact on the fashion industry than ever before. With constant and instant access to social media, consumers have lessened the speed-to-market of fashion cycles. This means that trend forecasters assist social media influencers to create highly calculated content that will create demand for a certain trend nearly overnight.

The rise of a fashion trend can occur when consumers see a large amount of paid promotions for a product disguised in the form of social media posts from their favorite influencer or celebrity. A fashion trend can also follow celebrity photo-ops such as Fashion Week or the runway. Except these celebrity fashion dupes are the result of fast fashion and are largely cheaply and unethically produced. All trends eventually die, and with this constant access to fashion influences online, fashion cycles are being made shorter than ever.

There is a large responsibility that comes with being a social media influencer or celebrity. Societal pressures have always been significantly influential on young people, particularly women. And with digital technology, this population of young women are constantly comparing themselves to photoshopped images of women with perfect skin, hair, and body types. When they see these images online, it is in their nature to want to mimic the look of these influencers. That takes the form of makeup, accessories, and of course, fashion. In a time where influencers are so easily accessible, it makes perfect sense that the younger generation feels a massive social pressure to constantly keep up with what is trendy.

Mobile technology is creating a drive for fashion that is impossible to keep up with. And with so many influencers encouraging over-the-top spending habits in the form of "clothing haul" videos, regular media consumers are urged to attempt to keep up. These hauls are often, if not always, from fast fashion retailers such as H&M, SHEIN, or Amazon.

Known for shockingly cheap and fashionable garments, SHEIN is at the forefront of throwaway fashion. Retailers such as SHEIN contribute to overconsumption, pollution, and human waste. These fast fashion retailers are also known for ripping off independent creators with no acknowledgment for their art. Thrift stores are now oversaturated with cheap pieces of clothing from retailers like SHEIN because of the rate at which fast fashion trends are dying.

The lifecycle of a trend exists in five stages: introduction, rise, peak, decline, and obsolescence. The best way to avoid contributing to these cycles is to attempt to ignore these stages, even if it means reducing your time spent on social media. By wearing what you already own and making sustainable purchases to supplement your wardrobe as needed, you can make yourself immune to following trends that influence fast fashion. Focusing more on using what you own, repurposing what you own, creating a wardrobe that is functional for your unique lifestyle, and shopping for second-hand clothing, can be key components in boycotting fast fashion.

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