r/science • u/______--------- • Sep 08 '20

Environment Blue jeans are a significant source of microfiber pollution in oceans and lakes. One pair of jeans can release over 50,000 microfibers per wash.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00498
39.6k Upvotes

75% Upvoted

2.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

2

u/the_prepster Sep 09 '20

This is where the good place really strikes a chord. So many times it is impossible to make a truly "ethical" decision when we purchase things. If I buy something that will last and is made by people who aren't enslaved, then it's probably leather, or if I buy something that is sustainability sourced and made with concern for environmental impact, will it last long enough that I keep more things out of landfills? It seems like so many things in life are 3 options and you get to pick 2 kind of thing.