【English】

The fashion industry produces more carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined, according to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme. At the heart of this environmental crisis lies the fast fashion business model — a system designed to produce vast quantities of cheap clothing at breakneck speed, encouraging consumers to buy more and discard faster than ever before.

The numbers are staggering. The average consumer now purchases 60 percent more clothing than they did 15 years ago, yet keeps each garment for only half as long. Globally, the textile industry generates approximately 92 million tons of waste annually, with the majority ending up in landfills or being incinerated. In the Atacama Desert of Chile, an estimated 39,000 tons of unsold clothing accumulate each year, forming mountains of discarded fashion that are visible from space.

The environmental impact begins long before a garment reaches the consumer. Producing a single cotton T-shirt requires approximately 2,700 liters of water — enough for one person to drink for two and a half years. Synthetic fabrics like polyester, which now account for over 60 percent of global fiber production, release microplastics into waterways with every wash cycle. Scientists estimate that half a million tons of microfibers enter the ocean each year from laundering synthetic textiles.

Several countries have begun implementing regulatory responses. France passed a law in 2020 making it illegal for companies to destroy unsold clothing, while the European Union has proposed mandatory eco-design requirements for textiles sold within its borders. However, critics argue that these measures address symptoms rather than root causes.

The most effective solution, according to environmental researchers, involves a fundamental shift in consumer behavior. Buying fewer, higher-quality garments, repairing clothing instead of replacing it, and choosing second-hand options can reduce an individual fashion footprint by up to 75 percent. As Dr. Anna Brismar, who coined the term \"circular fashion,\" explains: \"The most sustainable garment is the one already in your closet.\"

【中文翻译】

联合国环境规划署最近的一份报告显示，时尚产业产生的碳排放量超过了国际航班和海运的总和。这场环境危机的核心在于快时尚商业模式——一种以极快速度大量生产廉价服装的体系，鼓励消费者以前所未有的速度购买和丢弃。

数字令人震惊。现在平均消费者购买的服装比15年前多60%，但每件衣服的穿着时间却只有一半。全球纺织业每年产生约9200万吨废料，其中大部分最终被填埋或焚烧。在智利的阿塔卡马沙漠，每年约有39,000吨未售出的服装堆积，形成的废弃时装山从太空都能看到。

环境影响早在服装到达消费者之前就开始了。生产一件棉质T恤需要约2,700升水——够一个人喝两年半。聚酯纤维等合成纤维现在占全球纤维产量的60%以上，每次洗涤都会向水道释放微塑料。科学家估计，每年有50万吨微纤维通过合成纺织品的洗涤进入海洋。

一些国家已开始实施监管措施。法国于2020年通过法律，禁止企业销毁未售出的服装；欧盟则提议对在其境内销售的纺织品实施强制性生态设计要求。然而，批评者认为这些措施只是治标不治本。

环境研究人员认为，最有效的解决方案是消费行为的根本转变。购买更少但更高质量的服装、修补而非更换衣物、选择二手商品，这些做法可以将个人时尚碳足迹减少高达75%。正如创造了\"循环时尚\"一词的安娜·布里斯马博士所说：\"最可持续的服装，是你衣柜里已经有的那件。\"

【重点词汇】

• carbon emissions /ˈkɑːbən ɪˈmɪʃnz/ — 碳排放
• breakneck speed /ˈbreɪknek spiːd/ — 极快的速度，飞速
• staggering /ˈstæɡərɪŋ/ — 令人震惊的，惊人的
• landfill /ˈlændfɪl/ — 垃圾填埋场
• incinerate /ɪnˈsɪnəreɪt/ — 焚烧，焚化
• microplastics /ˈmaɪkrəʊplæstɪks/ — 微塑料
• textile /ˈtekstaɪl/ — 纺织品
• circular fashion /ˈsɜːkjələ ˈfæʃn/ — 循环时尚