Horse is the community engagement specialist for The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board and lives in Sherman Heights. Follow her on Twitter @bellamayaross

I love shopping so much that I would consider it a hobby. But the chances that you’ll see me in a mall these days are slim to zero.

Because I’ve been spending my money almost exclusively in second-hand shops, local shops and sustainable retailers for years. And I’m not alone. In the US, the secondhand apparel market is growing eight times faster than the overall apparel market, according to the 2022 ThreadUp Resale Report.

As climate change inspires a consumption reckoning, it is becoming increasingly clear that American consumption as we know it is unsustainable. And nowhere is this more evident than on vacation.

Most people really just want to give their loved ones something they like – and that’s not going to be thrown away or returned. But what many don’t realize is that thoughtful gift giving can be a sustainability tactic in itself. According to the National Retail Foundation, Americans returned $101 billion worth of merchandise during the 2020 holiday season, and most of it ends up in landfills.

But it doesn’t have to end there. Buying local and used—or even making gifts yourself—can help you get more unique, sentimental, and sometimes affordable gifts, while also supporting your local business community and reducing your carbon footprint.

I’m not saying you have to trade your Black Friday Best Buy run for a trip to the thrift store, but adopting a more sustainable shopping philosophy this holiday season is probably easier than you think, and you, your gift recipients and everyone else will benefit planet.

Here are some simple ways you can make more sustainable choices and support your local businesses this holiday season:

Create lasting memories by giving away experiences

Why not invest in experiences for your loved ones rather than something physical? A gift card for a local brewery or restaurant is a great way to support your favorite local places (Kindred maybe?). Or for a more family-oriented option, consider a Balboa Park Explorer pass or San Diego Zoo membership.

Sometimes old is gold

People tend to think of thrift stores when I talk about thrift shopping, but there are plenty of curated on-site resale shops that require a lot less digging.

The San Diego Vintage Flea Market, held on Saturday December 3rd, is a personal favorite as it features a range of local vendors with offerings at various price points.

The Makers Arcade, taking place December 3rd and 4th in downtown San Diego, is another great opportunity to support local vendors.

Some of my other favorite curated resale stores in San Diego County in brief are Verbatim Books (North Park), La Loupe Vintage (University Heights and Normal Heights), Libélula Books & Co (Barrio Logan), Sea Hive Station (Point Loma), Flashbacks ( Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Hillcrest), Day to Day Vintage (North Park) for menswear, and Consignment Classics (various locations) for decor.

Gift thoughtful

In general, buying with an eye for quality over quantity will help your gifts last longer, no matter where you buy them. Don’t buy something just to buy something. If you’re feeling insecure, know I’m for gift cards – just accept that friends and family probably have a better idea of ​​what they want than you do.

I would also recommend starting shopping as early as possible. This gives you time to buy with intent and spread the cost, making it easier to support local businesses you love.

Get smart with it

You really can’t go wrong with a handmade gift. They’re sentimental, sustainable, adaptable to your budget, and can be a lot of fun.

If you’re not a smart person, just be honest with yourself and choose something simple. Homemade candles, for example, are easy and can be personalized with different scents and containers. (You can find unique and affordable ones at your local thrift store).

Baking, by the way, also falls into this category. It’s cookie time – make the most of it.

Reduce, reuse and recycle… gift wrap

Did you know that wrapping paper is the biggest source of holiday waste?

Every time you walk into a store and they hand you one of those cute little paper bags, keep them for the holidays. The same applies to postal packaging and tissue paper. If you are reading this in the print edition, I personally give you permission to use this newspaper as wrapping paper.

Inserting stickers and ribbons (which can be reused) is a way to keep it festive while avoiding store-bought packaging, which is often non-recyclable. But if you’re committed to the holiday look, there are plenty of recyclable wrapping paper options too.

I wish you a merry and sustainable Christmas season!

Tirupur has set a precedent by becoming a truly sustainable global apparel manufacturing hub. The knitwear cluster of Tirupur in southern India has now evolved into a completely transformed global hub for garment manufacturing in the country. From hosting one of the most polluting textile value chains until a few years ago (which had caused massive protests from local farmers and other communities); followed by the Madras Supreme Court order ordering the closure of approximately 750 dyeing and bleaching plants in this cluster for failure to comply with the State Pollution Control Board’s ZLD norms, Tirupur is currently a fully Zero Liquid Discharge garment cluster, in which the water used by its dyeing and processing units is treated in standard wastewater treatment plants and reused. Not only does the cluster use significantly less water, but it also does not discharge hazardous water. Tirupur cluster, which has emerged as a sustainable sourcing destination for knitwear, is currently the Rs 60,000 billion company halfway through its production exported to the world market with 300 Dyeing Units connected to 18 Common Wastewater Treatment Plants (CETPs) and 60 Dyeing Units with their own Individual Wastewater Treatment Plants (IETPs). The CETPs and IETPs in Tirupur have successfully implemented Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) as the first of their kind in the world. Every day, 18 CETPs recycle 100 MLD water and 60 IETPs recycle 20 MLD water. The effluent is treated to recover 94 percent of the water, which is recycled back into processing, and the remaining 6 percent is recovered as brine or salt for reuse in the process. “We as a cluster have shown a high level of resilience and perseverance to get where we are today. We are proud to make Tirupur a green center where most of the resources are used sustainably. The first years were really difficult like this.” Dyehouses were not able to meet the ZLD requirements. But we managed to overcome all our challenges to build one of the most sustainable circular fashion supply chains,” says KM Subramanian, President of the Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) and Managing Director of Rs 750 crore KM Knitwear, which accounts for 50 percent of its knitwear production exported to the world market.” For 10 years we have been consistently pursuing our ZLD model and have also taken on several projects aimed at significantly reducing our carbon footprint. As a green cluster, we have made a lot of progress,” says A Sakthivel, President, Association of Indian Export Organizations Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council and Founding President of TEA Kumar Duraiswamy, Deputy Secretary of TEA says that the toxic effluents generated during the processing of fabrics depleted the water table prior to the introduction of ZLD, which is now has been completely eliminated and the treated water recovered f Used for processing fabrics. “Our efforts have paid off. Aside from successfully implementing ZLD, we do several things to positively impact our surroundings and environment. In fact, we have set a precedent for others to emulate and help build a more sustainable ecosystem for the industry,” says N. Thirukkumaran. Secretary General, TEA. “Tirupur as a knitwear center has come a long way. Each and every stakeholder has played their part in making this cluster a truly sustainable cluster for apparel manufacturing. We will continue our quest to take this success story to the next level,” says Gopalakrishnan, Chairman of Tirupur-based Royal Classic Mills. Led by flagship knitwear brands such as Classic Polo, the Rs 750-crore company boasts To have the largest IETP in Tirupur.Besides the ZLD implementation, Tirupur units have installed both solar power plants and wind power generators that produce 1,600 KVA per day, while the electricity consumption of industry in Tirupur cluster is only about 250 KVA the total electricity consumption of the whole Tirupur district is 650 KVA, and therefore the excess green electricity is distributed through the Tamil Nadu electricity grid.In another major initiative called “Vanathukul Tirupur”, a mass planting of trees was carried out by an NGO called VETRY.Supported by Tirupur- Clothing units, VETRY has planted 15,000 seedlings in the last 8 years Genetic water use is one of the most important activities that are widely pursued in the cluster. In recent years, the amount of rainwater collected has made many factories self-sufficient in terms of water consumption. The article was written by Arbind Gupta, a well-known journalist. Source: ANI

BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) – Bryan County continues its industrial boom following a string of new production announcements.

Earlier this week, executives held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new commercial center.

Construction of the Georgia International Commerce Center is underway. It is a new complex that is expected to attract even more industrial partners to the north end of Bryan County.

Officials don’t expect the manufacturing boom to slow anytime soon.

The construction of this commercial center is the latest in a series of industry announcements for the county.

Earlier this week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that apparel company Komar Brands will build a distribution center in Bryan County.

Before that, ammunition manufacturer Norma Precision will also establish a manufacturing facility in Bryan County.

Taken together, the two projects are expected to bring in investments of 147 million US dollars and create almost 900 jobs in total.

County development agency officials say these projects were years in the making.

They say they are keen to bring in industrial partners and the new commercial center is helping to achieve that goal.

“The more land or industrial facilities we have on-site and ready to move into, the better chance we have of being able to locate these industrial partners in Bryan County and create the jobs that come with bringing these industrial partners into the county,” he said Jon Seagraves, Chief Executive of the Bryan County Development Authority.

The Georgia International Commerce Center will consist of 12 buildings totaling 6.5 million square feet. The first building should be ready for occupancy by July 2023.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.

RAPID CITY, SD (KEVN) – Falling snow inspires an urge to pull yourself together, but it’s not just people who’ll be wearing hats and scarves. Downtown presidential statues stay warm this season too.

The people at Echo Ridge Independent Living have been making scarves for over a year. They currently have about 24 scarves that are placed on statues downtown.

“Some of us have found that we have a similar interest in knitting, crocheting and other crafts. We decided it would be fun to get together, sit and chat and do them for about an hour in the afternoons. We made all these scarves to put on the presidents,” said Jan Albright, who lives in Echo Ridge.

“These ladies are great at giving to other organizations, and they’re really just an independent group here at Echo Ridge, which is an independent dwelling,” said Angela Weiderich, senior living manager at Echo Ridge.

Other organizations, churches and youth groups are trying to attach socks, hats, coats, scarves and gloves to the statues for everyone to take with them.

Winter clothing is allowed between November 15th and March 15th and has been a tradition in Rapid City for 8 seasons.

If you have yarn that you would like to donate to the Echo Ridge artisans, you can drop it off at the Senior Living Managers’ office and it will be distributed to the ladies.

Copyright 2022 KEVN. All rights reserved.

It may be the busiest time of year for retailers looking to capitalize on fourth-quarter sales targets, but cargo thieves plan to intercept vulnerable packages for a payday of their own.

According to CargoNet’s report from last year’s holiday season, 185 thefts between December 23, 2021 and January 2, 2022 resulted in a loss of more than $9 million. The New York Times reported that an average of more than 90 containers were compromised each day in Los Angeles County for the last three months of 2021 alone. This resulted in $5 million in claims, losses, and damage at a single railroad junction.

According to CargoNet, the top items on every thief’s wish list last year were groceries and beverages, household goods and electronics. More expensive foods such as meat and seafood are sure to remain at the top of the list this year as inflation pushes prices up on store shelves. High-end clothing will also be a big target, as will TVs, other electronics and the season’s hottest toys. Anything hit by sourcing shortages, like the baby food crisis that began hitting families earlier this year, will be attractive to thieves to resell in the gray market.

To mitigate potential losses during the holidays, here are three tips to keep your cargo safer and your customers happier during the process.

Conduct comprehensive reviews. Make sure you do your homework before anyone picks up your stuff. Conduct a comprehensive carrier screening so you know exactly who will be carrying your cargo at any given time and leg of the journey.

The Washington Post recently reported the arrest of three men accused of stealing $9 million worth of frozen meat and other equipment from various Midwest packing plants over the course of 18 months. If these three had been properly screened when collecting the meat, the casualties might not have been as heavy or lasted as long.

Once you know who’s going to pick up a load, research them. Use the SAFER system to find a list of all registered carriers in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). Write down their phone number and look up their physical address so you can make sure everything matches. If you have a trucking company that claims to have 150 drivers but its physical address is a home, that should raise some red flags.

It sounds like a no-brainer, but make sure the driver picking up the load matches the picture on the driver’s license. Take photos of the truck’s license and number plate. Make sure the trailer has a USDOT sticker as well as the required company information tag. And confirm the ID numbers are the same as you received before.

Check everything again. You should check some official sources to be 100% sure that you are not dealing with a person fabricating or even stealing a carrier identity before it’s too late.

Think about compliance standards. The goal of every company is to stop cargo theft before it even happens. You can do this by keeping compliance standards in mind. It is said that larger freight forwarders can do this better than smaller ones traffic journal, but without your knowledge may increase the risk of a double or triple referral. So make sure you have agreements in place to prevent this from happening. Compliance is more important than ever as the industry grows rapidly.

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), national truck freight volumes will have increased by more than 60% in 2022. DHL plans to hire at least 2,000 seasonal workers in the US this holiday season. That’s a multitude of new shippers and a multitude of new carriers that may not be compliant. If brokers aren’t careful, their cargo could get stuck with a driver who doesn’t follow the rules.

It’s worth your time and effort to monitor compliance to ward off nefarious drivers from the start. Stop the problem before it starts instead of trying to catch a driver stealing your cargo and deal with the consequences. All you need is just to screen the drivers and make sure they are following all the rules.

Contact local law enforcement agencies. Whether it’s a multi-million dollar meat heist or a stolen Ohio cargo trailer, working with law enforcement is the first step in prosecuting nefarious and increasingly sophisticated cargo thefts.

According to the BSI, around 32% of all truck cargo thefts in 2021 occurred while driving, 13% at rest areas or unsecured roadside parking spaces. Meanwhile, rail theft has increased by 160% since 2020. The data shows that cargo at rest is cargo at risk.

If you suspect a carrier, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately. Your resources can help track down a malicious driver to quickly recover stolen cargo. Identify a path for effective law enforcement cooperation in advance.

In 2021, ATA created the Law Enforcement Advisory Board to improve safety on freeways and freight traffic nationwide. Members have prior experience in federal, state, and local law enforcement. And according to the latest information, the FBI has seven task forces across the country to curb cargo thefts. Use both organizations to your advantage, outside of your local law enforcement agency, if you think you might have a cargo theft on your hands.

The combination of high cargo volumes, reduced hours, congested ports, labor shortages, and idle cargo during the holiday season creates the perfect storm for cargo thieves to snag high-value items this winter. By conducting extensive security checks, remembering compliance standards and actively working with local law enforcement, you can ensure shipments get to their intended destination and criminals don’t feast on your valuable cargo.

Danny Ramon is the Intelligence and Response Manager at Overhaul.

Offers sponsors exemptions from local college programs

PONTE VEDRA, Florida, – Beginning November 1st, a strong field featuring some of the best aspiring women professional golfers and some of the world’s top amateurs will compete at the Slammer & Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village for the six-day PXG Women’s Match Play Championship game November 1-6 . In addition, tournament organizers have invited top players from local National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) programs to compete in the event.

Now in its second year, PXGWMPC is a unique event in many ways. Designed specifically for pro players who don’t yet have LPGA Tour status, this is the only match-play tournament on the calendar and features one of the biggest prize pools of the season. After a two-day qualifier on November 1-2, during which the field is reduced from 90 players to 64 players, the match-play portion is then split into two parts over three days. First, these 64 players are divided into 16 “pods” of four players who play each other once in a 9-hole match.

Called The Battle Round, and in a format unique to PXGWMPC, players earn a point for each hole won (and half a point for those halved) and a bonus point for winning the game rather than advancing through the best win-loss record list. The player in each pod with the most cumulative points advances to knockout rounds, the traditional 18-hole match-play format. At $60,000, the championship also offers one of the largest total prize pools of the year for the development stage. The $15,000 champion’s check is the biggest of the season, and it’s especially significant considering the top-earning player earned $35,000 that year — not enough to cover her expenses on the competition over the course of a year cover up.

PXGWMC is now an official event of the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour (ECWPGT), a newly launched women’s development tour whose dual mission is to create more accessible and better playing opportunities for women aspiring to the LPGA Tour. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, the ECWPGT only launched in January and is one of only three tours in the country to either directly or indirectly feed the Epson Tour, which in turn directly feeds the LPGA Tour.

“This is professional golf at a high level, and if it’s anything like last year, it’s going to be golf drama at a high level,” said Mark D. Berman, creator of the tournament and founder of the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour . Berman compared that level to Double A+ baseball and continued, “These women have all played at the most elite levels in junior, collegiate and amateur golf. Most have Epson Tour status, which is equivalent to the LPGA’s AAA level, and many have played on the LPGA Tour or have conditional LPGA Tour status and are working their way back to full-time status. Fans will know the names of these incredible players before they come to the LPGA Tour and will be able to see them up close and personal.” The ECWPGT hosted 13 events in its first year and welcomed nearly 300 players, including two players who have passed the Epson Tour to the LPGA Tour, and seven who qualified for the 2022 US Women’s Open Championshop. There are also 67 ECWPGT players remaining in the LPGA Tour Q-School, which has its second phase coming just two weeks after the PXGWMPC and is drawing many of the best players into this year’s field.

With a big purse and a big stage, Berman isn’t surprised by the strength of the field, which includes NCAA champions, ECWPGT winners, Epson Tour champions, US Women’ Open qualifiers, and players who “cashed checks at the LPGA level.” “. Some of the better known names are:

• Bailey Tardywho played her college golf at the University of Georgia and finished 11th^th on this year’s Epson Tour official money list, just $1500 in the coveted top 10
• Jessica Porvasnick, Defending PXGWMPC champion and three-time All-American at Ohio State University.
• Mariel Galdiano, UCLA, who has five appearances at the US Women’s Open, including this year
• Shasta Averyhardt, Jackson State University, which has five LPGA launches
• JB Baik, Mississippi State University and a three-time ECWPGT winner who earned a paid time off from the PXGWMPC as the Tour’s Winter Series Champion
• Laura Restrepo, University of Louisville, Epson Tour #48 and winner of the 2019 Epson Tour Garden State Charity Classic
• Roberta Liti, University of Arizona, Epson Tour #59

Exceptions have been accepted by the University of North Florida Senior, Christine Eisenbeiss and Senior of Flagler College, Fernanda Lacaz. Both players could turn pro after graduation. Joanne Berglung, UNF Head Women’s Golf Coach, said, “The sponsorship waivers for the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship provide an incredible opportunity for local college players to showcase their talent against the next highest level of competition. We as coaches are very excited and grateful to the Tournament Committee for stepping up and making this possible for our student-athletes.” She added, “Having the chance to take another step in building their golf career is so important to them their growth. It’s also exciting to know that we’ll get a glimpse of the game’s future stars at the pro level.” Berman said, “Most aspiring pros don’t go straight out of college into the Epson Tour or the LPGA Tour. Our tour is often the first step in their journey, so giving them a glimpse into their future and embedding the event deeper into our local community makes a lot of sense.”

The field also includes a handful of the best amateur players in the world, all just teenagers, including Rolex Junior World Number One and Alabama Commitment, Kaitlyn Schroeder from Jacksonville, Chloe Kovelesky (Boca Raton), who played at the 2021 US Women’s Open at just 14 and qualified for this year’s LPGA Portland Classic, Paris Hilinsky (Palm Beach Gardens) and recent LSU commit Jordan Fischer (North Fort Meyers), both of whom have competed in the US Women’s Amateur Championship and the US Women’s Open.

A celebration of women’s empowerment off the ropes and an equally important part of the week is the women’s empowerment collaboration with the women’s empowerment organization Generation W. All players are invited Generation W Links to the Leadership Summit presented by Circle K and Baptist Health, a full day of women’s initiatives designed by Genearaton W CEO Donna Orender just for the PXG Women’s Match Play Championship. The event takes place on November 3rd at the World Golf Village at the St. John’s County Convention Center between the Stroke Play Qualifier Tournament and the Match Play Championship.

In addition to title sponsor PXG, the tournament and field of 90 players is supported by a dedicated family of corporate partners. Back from last year are founding partners Murgado Automotive Group/Bentley & Maserati Jacksonville, Baptist Health Jacksonville and Kessler Creative. On board the 2022 event are new founding partners Access Golf of Jacksonville and St. Augustine’s Vitis Energy, the only female-led energy company in the United States. Hospitality partners include Manifest Distilling, Maestro Dobel Tequila and Murray Bros. Caddy Shack.

Daily admission tickets are only $10.00, making it affordable for the whole family to enjoy a day on the course to see dozens of rising LPGA stars. Admission includes a complimentary drink from Manifest Distilling and Maestro Dobel Tequila. Tickets are available on the tournament website at www.pxgwmpc.com where fans can purchase and print their ticket. Ticket holders check in at the main gate with their click and print ticket and receive a wristband for the day. Ticket proceeds will benefit Investing in Kids (INK!), a St. Johns County nonprofit that raises money for underserved public schools. Social media names include @PXGWMPC, #PXGWomensMatchPlay, @ECWPGT, #AintNoMiniTour and #MakeGolfYourThing

About PXG

Founded by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed golf geek Bob Parsons, PXG embodies his belief that every new product – from golf clubs to sportswear – should be significantly better. Every innovation should noticeably improve your performance. And every moment of impact should add to your enjoyment. Today, PXG offers a full line of right-handed and left-handed golf clubs including drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters, as well as performance sportswear and accessories. Visit PXG.com for more information.

About the East Coast Women’s Professional Golf Tour

The ECWPGT has the dual mission of creating more and better playing opportunities for women aiming for the LPGA Tour and creating career connections and off-rope pathways for female athletes. One of only three women’s development tours in the United States, the Florida-based ECWPGT serves the eastern portion of the country with 15 events per year and its Q-School prep events in California. Players come from 26 states and more than a dozen countries. Through the eyes of his own daughter, Mark Berman sees the limited opportunities for women to pursue their career dreams, especially when compared to their male counterparts, who lead 30+ “mini-tours” to the PGA TOUR, Mark Berman, with 25+ Years of experience in the golf industry marketing experience, the tour started in January. The ECWPGT is open to professional players, including those on the Epson Tour and the Ladies European Tours, and is also open to elite-level amateur and college players. Website www.ECWPGT.com. Follow at @ecwpgt.