More than a year into the pandemic, wearing a face mask has become the norm for many of us. Unless you were a spectator at the Texas Ranger season opener, then you may have been a baseball loving environmentalist worried about the environmental impact that disposable face masks is having on our global home? But I digress...
Locally, these things are littering our streets and boulevards. They are everywhere. It was recently estimated that 129 billion BILLION face masks are being disposed of globally each month. Many of these make their way into our rivers, lakes and oceans and have a dire impact on these ecosystems. Medical grade and disposable consumer use face masks are made from polyproplene, a type of plastic. And it is estimated that it takes hundreds of years to degrade.
So what can you do? It is said that even after we get a majority of our population vaccinated we'll still be wearing face masks.
I'm all for making re-useable face masks. At work I have to wear a medical grade face mask but I also wear a me-made mask on top of it. I prefer to use cotton, linen or hemp fabrics and include a third layer with an organic cotton knit. Not only is it about using a natural fibre for some added kindness towards the environment, it's also about finding that perfect fit.
Happy Earth Day!
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
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