Ingrid, VD Friendly Power AB
på Oct 10, 2023
It was a very significant topic at the climate conference, the fashion industry. The fashion industry accounts for a significant portion of emissions, resource utilization, and waste. 40% of all clothes that are made are discarded. They are not used, they don't even make it to the store. Sorting is not done for items that are returned. One should only own 10 pieces of clothing, and they should be your absolute darlings.
What inspires you?
It is to change this world for the better, into something sustainable, so that it becomes a sustainable planet. We have crossed six of the nine planetary boundaries, so there is a risk that things will accelerate rapidly now.
It can happen quickly or slowly; unfortunately, it has already happened faster than we predicted. There is no indication that it will slow down unless we take radical action. Everyone at the climate conference understands how poorly things are going. No one is close to achieving the UN's climate goals; the best countries reach up to 25%, and now we are already halfway to 2030 when the goal should be fulfilled. We need to see how things are progressing, and it has been established that things are not going well; in fact, some goals have even regressed.
Nevertheless, there is something that is a bit hopeful. Most industries have rather slow transition processes; change doesn't happen quickly. There is only one industry where change can happen quickly, and that is the consumers. We, as consumers, could turn things around very quickly if everyone decides not to accept this anymore. I eat less meat, what I eat is of high quality and good for the planet. If we only consume like we did in the 70s, it's fine, and we would be sustainable again. If everyone wakes up simultaneously, it will have an incredible impact.
Unfortunately, I'm in the construction industry, driven to change it as well. I started 12 years ago, but in due time, it will happen.
Have you had any moments of insight?
More often towards less pleasant than pleasant insights. I probably thought the world was fairer and more democratic than I have come to realize.
An example is from our courts. How difficult it is to get justice even when you are right. Everything depends on how good you are at proving something; it doesn't have to be the truth. I thought we lived in a society of justice, that the one who is right will prevail.
I also believed in more morality in this country. The more money, the less morality. And they don't even feel ashamed of it.
In the climate conferences, the goal is to achieve more equality in the world and to lift the poor. Still, companies pay to speak. I thought that if you organize a conference, you should invite the most competent people on the subject who are most interesting to listen to, not just those who pay the most to speak. This makes me a little sad and I get a feeling that this won't work; it's precisely those companies that contribute to inequality and injustice in the world. It's a sad realization, but at the same time, it's better to know about it than not to know at all.
There are many organizations and banks trying to counteract this. It's important that we as consumers support them. Most people are not aware of this; I wasn't aware of it either.
At the same time, it's inspiring to see all the energy that exists; many of us want to put this planet back on its feet. The desire is there, and everyone has the same goal, so there's not as much conflict anymore.
What is the absolute best thing you know?
It's being with my family when we are just doing something together. We need to be somewhere and do something, not just be at home and each doing our own things; that's nice too, but not the best thing I know. We should be in a different place, and what we do doesn't matter that much. It has to be something a little exciting.
When you think about it and consider this sustainable society, we have lost ourselves a bit. If we look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you need to feel safe, and you need to have food on the table, that's what you need first before you can climb the hierarchy, and self-actualization is at the very top. We've turned that around. Everyone is trying to self-actualize, but they don't feel that great. There are more cases with psychologists and such than ever, people burning out, people feeling bad in various ways, and children feeling bad.
We have a lot of strange things going on now that we didn't have 30 years ago. At the same time, we keep striving for something, going on long vacations, building careers, and so on. Maybe we should rewind a bit. Maybe we should go back to ourselves, why should we go to Thailand? What is it I want in Thailand? What do I love there? Well, I love it when we're on the beach, the whole family playing by the sea. That's what you want, it's not the trip to Thailand itself. Maybe you can get that with your family in a closer place, maybe you can get it in Värmdö.
You have to think about what is really important. If you're not a successful person on Facebook, you'll feel bad. Rewind a bit.
I believe we'll figure this out; more and more people will come to realize that we'll be much better off in a circular society. We'll walk more, and bike more. You won't have to worry about parking tickets; maybe you won't even need a car, public transportation will get better. You'll work less; you won't need to self-actualize so much, and you won't need to chase after the longest trips, the most expensive ones. Maybe you'll be content with less expensive pleasures. You'll shop for clothes twice a year, and you'll love them, and then you'll have them, and they'll suit multiple occasions.
