Now what am I going to wear this evening?

I have never been known for having a great sense of style when it comes to dress sense. It was quite a relief when I was ordained as a priest as it led to me not having to think too much about my clothes each day. Of course remembering the liturgical colours is important and adorning a nice red chasuble on Good Friday and a beautiful gold on Easter Day and even a rather fetching pink on Gaudete Sunday in Advent is important to those who care about the liturgy. On a normal day of ministry however it is just black shirt (occasionally faded grey if my mother has forgotten one of my annual Christmas presents) and a little white collar sometimes made out of a fairy liquid bottle! (remember to get it the right way round). Otherwise though fashion isn’t my thing. I have in the past on a visit to the Comedy Club at Bracknell worn a rather bright green shirt which led to each comedian changing their scripts for the evenings entertainment!

Greta Thunberg I suspect would have some sympathy with my lack of style. The Swedish activist known for challenging world leaders over climate change has been interviewed by Vogue Scandinavia following the release of the Intergovernmental panel report on climate change which showed a critical global heating threshold of 1.5C may be breached earlier than previously thought and perhaps within a decade. I read however that Tony Blair’s thinktank says that we need only make a few minor details to our lifestyles such as cutting back on a few flights, driving an electric car and cutting back ever so slightly on my sirloin steaks cooked medium rare with a few fries and some mushrooms with a touch of Colmans mustard.

Three quarters of people in the world’s wealthiest nations believe humanity is pushing the planet towards a dangerous tipping point and support a shift of priorities away from economic profit, according to a global survey

Greta is quoted as saying that the world might not be as rosy as Mr Blair’s Institute for Global Change might suggest. Two quotes from Greta ‘ Three quarters of people in the world’s wealthiest nations believe humanity is pushing the planet towards a dangerous tipping point and support a shift of priorities away from economic profit, according to a global survey.’ Greta goes on to attack the fashion industry (what she would have made of my green shirt I really don’t know!?) ‘The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the climate change and ecological emergency…. She continued ‘Not to mention it’s impact on the countless workers and communities who are being exploited around the world in order for some fast fashion that many treat as disposable’.

The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the climate change and ecological emergency…

With Greta’s comments in mind I listened to some Business Finance bloke on Radio 5 Live interview John Lyttle the CEO of Boohoo Group plc. In case you haven’t heard of them ( I hadn’t even though I have thrown out my green shirt!) they are a UK Fashion retailer aimed at 16-30 year olds and who in 2019 made profits of £856.9 million. The interviewer questioned Mr Lyttle about reports that workers in a Leicester factory making clothes for Boohoo were paid only half the minimum wage in poor working conditions. When asked why he hadn’t resigned, Lyttle said that when his company audit had highlighted the problem he had dealt with it. Had he resigned this might not have happened and the company’s success rate would have stalled. I guess it might be tough trying to notice how well treated his staff are but I am sure he is looking forward to his £50 million of shares should the shareholders get the results they want in the next few years. Lyttle also spoke proudly of his companies ability to get deliveries the next day and promised that same day delivery was just around the corner (think of those poor delivery folk and the points on their licence). When asked about sustainability issues caused by cheap disposable fashion, he said that we all need clothes. Is it really true that we need to buy clothes so regularly? I mean how many of us would have to walk the streets in Adam and Eve fashion (before the fall!) if we didn’t buy clothes for a year or two? Although I have thrown out my green shirt of shame and humour I still possess many more appallingly tasteless shirts as well as some decent ones that Monika bought for me to hide her shame as well as mine!

As we launch our new sustainability group at All Saints and begin to work in partnership with our schools and attempt to become an Eco Church let us think about our throw away society and start thinking about the sustainability issues that the world faces.