Help Save the Planet with Giving for Good
Written by Ariella Toren and Tamara Starr
Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) co-founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, affectionately known as the Mother of Peace, is among a growing number of people donating clothes for a good cause with its recently launched campaign “Giving for Good.” Inspired by her daughter Dr. Sun Jin Moon, WFWP International Senior Vice President, this new initiative will not only help you declutter closets while reselling clothes, but you can also help save the planet.
Dr. Moon believes that this project is good for the world, as secondhand recyclables reduces mass production.
“Mass production often comes at a cost of human rights and health impacts for primarily women, children, and the impoverished that are at higher risk for worker rights violations, low wages, poor working conditions, long hours, pollution, etc.…impacting our society,” she said
WFWP USA was the first national chapter to launch this campaign and they were very excited to be a part of this initiative- especially during this time of the pandemic.
“Sun Jin was thinking about how to help during this time of the Covid-19 crisis,” WFWP-USA President Angelika Selle said. “That’s when she thought of selling pre-owned clothes.” Selle said reselling clothing is a way for people to potentially offset personal economic hardship while also giving back. Participating sellers can easily list their items on any social media platform using the how-to guide and decluttering tips provided on WFWP-USA’s Giving for Good campaign website, and opt to donate a percentage of the sale to the organization.
“It has multiple benefits where you help other people, do something for the environment, and declutter your closets,” explained Selle. And within a week of its launch on May 15, organizers have seen rising interest. “We have shared this with various organizations to involve more young adults” said WFWP-USA Outreach Director Kiyomi Schmidt, who set up the campaign. “We also reached out to small eco-friendly businesses and vintage sellers to build momentum.”
Statistics show that the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year, while globally only 20 percent of textiles are recycled or reused. “This project can help break the cycle of over-consumption and pollution,” said Selle. “Mother Moon was so moved by Sun Jin’s idea that she donated 11 items.” And now, her dresses and purses are to be listed in a live online auction in Japan. “Proceeds will probably go toward WFWP humanitarian projects around the world, like Schools of Africa,” said Selle.
In Japan, the WFWP chapter decided to have a silent auction with those same items that were donated by the WFWP Co-founder. By the end, the chapter was able to raise over $90,000. So there is clearly a variety of ways for an individual or an organization to get involved.
Dr. Sun Jin Moon believes that this is good for families, societies, and the health and well-being of a community.
She also expressed that this project is good so that a person can “…pay it forward to a charity, COVID-19 or Albanian school, or fund a good local mission. Good for your family, friends, and community to unite together in a positive good cause and ‘stay at home’ fundraising campaign by claiming and cleansing one’s things in this “Giving for good” project while we are sheltered in place.”
With the hashtag #givingforgood, assorted items have steadily surfaced online by different sellers, ranging from baby clothes to professional wear and homegoods. “We have men and women of various ages who are participating,” said Schmidt. “Anyone can get involved; the campaign is ongoing and really something you can do at any time.”
Here is an example of how you can get involved on social media:
Share your story!
Make sure when you are talking about Giving for Good on social media to use the following hashtags:
#GivingForGood
#SustainableLiving
#SaveThePlanet
#EcoFriendly
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