Happy Earth Day! Did you know that Earth Day was first established on April 22, 1970? However, Islam has stressed the importance of Earth Day since the seventh century, teaching us that every day is Earth Day. Muslims are especially encouraged to protect the environment and promote the well-being of all living organisms. In Islam, Allah (SWT) has reminded us to be mindful of our impact on the environment.
“O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink; But waste not by excess, For Allah loveth not the wasters.” (Qur'an, 7:31)
This verse emphasizes the importance of moderation and to be mindful of the blessings that Allah (SWT) has given us. We are advised not to engage in overconsumption for food, clothing, etc. Additionally, we must maintain and care for it so that it can grow and benefit other living organisms as well.
“The world is beautiful and verdant, and verily God, be He exalted, has made you His stewards in it, and He sees how you acquit yourselves.” (Sahih Muslim)
Allah (SWT) has created the Earth with all of its natural landmarks, organisms, and ecosystems and he has also blessed us with the responsibility of serving as guardians on Earth. We must be mindful of our presence on Earth when it comes to using Earth’s resources, promoting habitat restoration, and caring for the well-being of organisms.
Since 2009, VELA has been committed to promoting environmentalism and supporting sustainable practices with the creation of its one-of-a- kind fabrics!
VELA is proud to be a brand that promotes ethical sourcing. Ethical-sourcing means that the products that are being sourced, are obtained in a sustainable way. Ethical sourcing not only helps the environment, but it also takes into account worker safety. VELA supports the improvement in risk management, pay for wages, and high safety standards, and prioritize the health and rights of its workers.
VELA creates its stunning fabrics from cotton mills and its team of artisans from southern India. The benefits of hand-dyed fabrics include having rich colors, the ability to control the vibrance, and developing dye colors that are suitable for all skin tones. Natural dyeing is beneficial to the environment because it is biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-allergenic. Natural dyes also protect workers and the environment from the exposure to harmful chemicals which are often used in synthetic dyes.
VELA continuously strives to promote sustainability from the concept design to its finished product. VELA embraces slow-fashion which emphasizes high quality designs as opposed to trending pieces, which are eventually carried over to landfills. VELA also uses recyclable packaging, which helps reduce the carbon footprint.
VELA also promotes sustainability as its hand-dyed fabrics are produced using significantly less water and fewer toxins are released into the water system. This process is much better for the environment as opposed to synthetic dyes which require significantly more water and release a greater amount of toxins into the water system.
Overconsumption is defined as the condition when humans consume more resources than can be reproduced. Some examples of overconsumption include an excess in food, clothing, gas, etc. Overconsumption has led to a depletion of nearly a third of the planet's natural resources in just 40 years! Did you know that the average American throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing each year? In total, there is approximately 11.3 million tons of textile waste in the United States.
The annual global average temperature is about 1.1° Celsius hotter than pre-industrial levels. Climate change has been influenced by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Some examples of fossil fuels include coal, oil, natural gas, and petroleum. Greenhouse gasses include carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide which are known to engulf the Earth and trap heat, leading to the increase in temperature.
Climate change has caused disruptions in agriculture due to droughts and other environmental conditions. Approximately 30% of the world’s population is exposed to deadly heat waves more than 20 days a year. Globally, January 2024 was the warmest January since records began in 1850.
The Arctic's temperature has already risen at a rate of almost three times the global average, warming faster than any other region on Earth. Climate change poses a threat to many organisms as they experience habitat loss, such as polar bears in the Arctic.
Biodiversity is defined as the different forms of life- plants, animals, etc. Overconsumption and climate change have contributed to the decline of flora and fauna. The loss of biodiversity is primarily due to the practice of factory farming. Factory farming involves raising a large number of farm animals in cramped areas. This farming technique has a negative impact on the environment because these animals are raised in austere conditions and release a high amount of ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc. Globally, animal agriculture represents 14.5% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to the climate change crisis.
With the loss in biodiversity, some animals have become endangered or extinct. As of 2024, some endangered animal species include the Amur Leopard, Javan Rhino, Hawksbill Turtles. Some extinct animal species include the Guam Kingfisher, Dabry’s Sturgeon, and the Père David’s Deer. The WWF's Living Planet Report 2022 finds wildlife populations have declined by an average 69% in the past 50 years.
Pollution is defined as the introduction of harmful materials into an environment. Transportation from cars, jets, and other vehicles release pollutants into the air such as carbon dioxide, which in turn contributes to the increase in greenhouse gasses. Landfills are collection sites for garbage and release biogasses such as methane and carbon dioxide, and can contaminate soil and water.
Farmers use pesticides on agricultural products, which can affect the soil and vegetation. Biological magnification is when animals and humans that eat these agricultural products, develop a risk in ingesting toxins from these pesticides. Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year.
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