Nat’s Week, The True Cost, Studying, Elephants and Orangutans

Happy August!

I’m going to overlook and forget that in just under 2 months Summer slowly makes way Autumn Fall. Already in a few shops are winter jumpers and light padded duvet jackets. It’s July, it’s 30C outside and the shops are making me think of winter. So I’m avoiding them. That and after watching The True Cost a documentary about the fast fashion’s social, environmental and human cost, this girl is consciously moving away from fast fashion. Just as the reason why I became a vegetarian then vegan, after watching The True Cost, I don’t want some one or something to suffer for my enjoyment. I know realistically this will be tricky, but I can try.Cheeky parakeet, Barcelona Zoo

I was in the mood for a fashion documentary last Thursday and came across The True Cost on Netflix. If you love clothes, fashion and even if you don’t, I highly recommend watching it. I knew about cheap labour and as I found out, the code of ethics many retailers state isn’t worth the paper it’s written on if everything is outsourced. One lady who set up a union for better working conditions was locked in the factory and beaten by employers and coworkers. Sometimes you don’t see, actually see it until you see it. All for asking to improving working conditions. To make clothes so cheap, corners are cut. Usually at human cost. I was horrified that the big seed monopoly corporation Monsanto who wants to own every seed is the cause the high suicide rate of Indian cotton farmers. They buy the seed, but it only works with Monsanto’s pesticides who’ve genetically modified the seed to only work with their pesticide. Farmers get into debt with Montanso as they keep the prices up. When Monstano ask for their money and the farmer says I can’t, Monsanto say the land is theirs. The farmer (not all) then commits suicide in the fields by drinking the said pesticide. In addition villages that use the said pesticides have higher rates of birth defects and mental health issues. I was equally as shocked by the leather industry by waste via tanneries (ironic as my surname’s Tanner) polluting rives making them inhabitable for life which then gets into the water drinking system. Only 10% of donated clothes ends up in charity shops, the rest get shipped to developing countries. A consequence of this is the local tailoring/clothes market begins to disappear as the donated clothes are so cheap. All to fuel the West’s appetite for consumerism. The fashion industry is the 2nd most polluting industry after the oil industry and the top cause of cancer in American cotton farmers (those pesticides again). No Netflix, no worries, YouTube has it here.

And the rest of my week…

Last Friday saw a run, catching up on emails, blogs, etc which is forever backlogged, before yes, the beach for an hour before running errands in the centre. Priorities in order. I made a trip to a posher part, not the poshest part of the city, more the start of the posh end if anything to get the feeling of breaking away from the usual centre run and to look for a new purse (coin purse for Americans!). I used to cycle up Rambla de Catalunya to work and it was always filled with boutiques and home interior shops. I was surprised that shops that way are becoming more mainstream high street. A few of the boutiques that are still around were closed but I did find one Dr Bloom. Pieces are all designed and made in Barcelona. It’s a little more expensive than high street shops as most non fast fashion shops are due to the cost of fabric etc. I found a nice pink cami top in the sale (full price I would have left it on the rack) which is a nice way to start stop shopping in fast fashion shops. It’ll take a while find where to shop, what price range and I’m sure fast fashion will pop up as pennies only go so far. It’s called getting smart shopping, Nat.

Peeking through gates

Saturday, no gym, a selection of Tone It Up workouts as usual. If you want a quick booty workout and have a mini band, Karena’s 10 minute Major Booty Burn With Karena‘s perfect. You feel the burn! The rest of the day erm, wasn’t very productive. I got sucked in during the week into a crazy yet addictive Korean drama, My Only Love Song and I’m ashamed to say the rest of the day was taking up with Netflix. They were only 25 minute episodes, the lead actress is feisty for chance and those cliffhangers! Lets just say I got it out my system and yes, I made the beach eventually. At the moment the beach is the one place I’m generally not distracted aside from the pigeons wanting for snacks or music. It’s a great time to study. Currently I’m reading Digital SLR Photography for Dummies. The course I did back in February helped but was pretty basic in comparison. It’s helping immensely mainly as it’s in my own language and I’ve got a lot to learn.

Sunday run day up the coast, popping callouses on the monkey bars (thankfully not as bad as last time!), blog work, the beach aka studying and the zoo.

Pretty blue bridge runningMeerkat muscle upsShe had the option of walking around the wall for water. Which she did laterNearly all grown up

As for this week, jumping waves as the wind was in the right direction. I didn’t want to get out, however the lifeguards were finishing for the day and I’m only so confident with my swimming skills I didn’t stay in for long. And of course the gym, teaching, signing up and start studying a new fitness course, the zoo, running endless errands and no beach one afternoon due to rain. Awe. The sand was too wet, the sun was beginning to set low and with clouds still hanging around to get my beach fix I watched the waves trying to ignore them calling me in. What are your thoughts on Fast Fashion? Do you think seeds are okay to be genetically modified or stick with selective selection as farmers have done for ions?