A Drop of Water

Bryte (left) and I (right) at the renaissance fair

Humble Beginnings

At the age of 16, Bryte wanted to do something more. At that point, she was a junior in high school, and had become a vegetarian when she started as a freshman. Her family was more accepting of this change in her diet than she'd expected, and she gradually gained the discipline necessary for her restrictive new diet. She'd had a deep love for animals ever since she could remember, and she was finally proving the lengths she would go to in advocating for them.

Now that it was two years later, Bryte wondered how she could go further with her activism, and advocate for change on a bigger scale. It turns out the answer was in her very own basement.

Curious Connection

One evening, when Bryte was doing laundry in her basement, she was struck by an interesting notion. As she took her clothes out of the dryer, she noticed large clumps of lint that were left behind in the machine.

Moderately grossed out, she took a paper towel and reached inside, taking the leftover lint in her hands. As she walked upstairs to get rid of the dusty leftovers, she pondered the effects such waste had on the washer and dryer. It was then, lint clump in hand, that it came to her: clothes!

Clothes had been the reason for her impromptu clean-up! They were also the reason for the washer and dryer, which took up more than their fair share of water and energy. Not to mention, all of the detergent and dryer sheets her mom would pick up at the grocery store. Bryte figured if that much went into cleaning her clothes, then making and selling could be just as extensive.

She knew then what she had to do, and it required a whole lot of research.

Hard at Work

Needless to say, Bryte didn't get much sleep that night. She knew that research was a must, but she didn't realize it would be THAT extensive. At first, Bryte tried to look up how her favorite brands manufactured and delivered their products, but couldn't find much online. She then resorted to online forums, some of which provided useful links to brand information and data.

Some clothing websites, promising ethically sourced materials and healthy supply chains, introduced Bryte to two new concepts:

1) What 'ethically sourced' and 'supply chain' meant

2) If these brands were this open about their practices, she wondered what other brands had to hide

During that first night, she also found a variety of fact-checking fashion websites (Good on You among them) which would help her on her sustainable journey. Learning about new concepts and new sources was a treat for Bryte, and she couldn't wait to discuss new findings with likeminded individuals online.

As she fell asleep, with the clock striking three, she felt content. Bryte had found what she considered to be her calling. Researching ethical and environmental practices didn't feel like work to her; she felt she was doing her part to take action and raise awareness.

Impressive Impact

Bryte and I have been friends for three years now, and she is a role model to me in so many ways. Not only she caring and kind, but her dedication to environmental activism is seriously impressive. She is one of the inspirations behind my blog, and has served as my informal research advisor.

It can be difficult to remain in high spirits while advocating for environmental change. Many refuse to see the harsh impacts we leave on the earth, or simply choose to ignore it. If that wasn't enough, it's tough to see how the work of one individual can make a difference for something as huge as our planet.

In those times of worry, I think about something Bryte once told me. It was one of her favorite quotes, given by Mother Theresa:

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."

This quote has given me comfort in trying times, and serves as a reminder that no good deed goes unrewarded. Every step we take towards a brighter, more sustainable future counts. Nobody has taught me that better than Bryte has.

A sunny day at the duck pond ☀