Adam, youth serving the planet.
At COG , our perception of ethical fashion is inseparable from the people who embody its values. For that, our greatest inspirations are still you! And who is more inspiring than the youth who are active in setting the tone for the awakening of the ecological cause? Today, it is Adam, 19 years old, recently graduated from high school, who shares with us his views, thoughts and initiatives to defend a more ecological and responsible model of life .
Hello Adam, thank you for taking the time to share your time with us.
We discovered on your Instagram account that the mayor of your town gave you the civic-mindedness award last year for your involvement in defending the ecological cause. Can you tell us more?
Yes! Following the numerous waste collections and awareness-raising actions that we organized, Emilie Richard and I, representatives of the eco'club of the city of L'Arbresle, the town hall submitted our candidacy for the Civics Award of the National Association of Members of the National Order of Merit (ANMONM), aiming to award medals to minors who are active in civic actions. The knights of the association, who were unable to choose between two candidates, decided to create the special Jury Prize, which was presented to us in September 2020 at the Rhône prefecture (69).
Congratulations to both of you for this great involvement! What is the event(s) that led you to want to act for the planet?
I think it's the fact of becoming vegan three years ago that gradually made me aware not only of the protection of life, but also of ecological issues. Veganism and ecology are two closely linked themes , and the triggers came naturally. By questioning my diet, I quickly questioned myself about consumption in the broad sense and then about the actions I could take to make mine more responsible, and reduce the impact specific to my purchases.
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INTERMISSION: THE LINK BETWEEN VEGANISM AND ECOLOGY.
Livestock farming causes a heavy ecological toll:
The establishment of pastures and the cultivation of cereals needed to feed the herds require deforestation. and the felling of thousands of hectares of trees.
The cultivation of cereals needed to feed animals, their gastric discharge and the transport linked to their breeding and slaughter are responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. .
Spreading and waste from livestock farming contribute to pollution and the depletion of fresh water sources .
Fishing causes massive pollution:
Fuels emitted by trawlers are a source of large quantities of greenhouse gases .
Overfishing leads to a decline in marine biodiversity necessary for the absorption of CO2. Overfishing contributes to the increase in global warming in addition to damaging the seabed.
An average of 640,000 tonnes of fishing equipment (mainly plastic) are lost or abandoned at sea every year.
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Let's talk a little, let's talk COG: can we ask you why you decided to order from us?
I know COG since your beginnings on Instagram when you posted the current "victories and good news" around animals and the environment. Originally, I was intrigued by the launch of this new Lyon brand, then the design of the Winton were catching my eye ;) But what convinced me above all was that the manufacturing of your models is in line with my values.
I hadn't bought shoes for a while because I didn't want to put my money into a product that didn't care about the well-being of the environment and workers. So an ethical, vegan brand with all the assets I was looking for, and moreover from the Rhône-Alpes region; suffice to say that with COG I found myself. Thank you!
A big thank you to you Adam! So, we risk asking you (under bailiff supervision ;)) satisfied with your sneakers?
They were able to satisfy my feet, conquer my heart and ease my conscience, I am very happy! ;)
Last year you rescued an animal in distress, can you share its rescue with us?
It was really no big deal! While hiking with a friend we came across a cow chewing on a plastic glove. We just removed the plastic from its muzzle, and put the glove where it should have been all along: in a trash can.
We hardly appreciate the consequences of throwing such seemingly ordinary waste as a plastic bottle or a cigarette butt into nature. However, the consequences are tragic, both for the environment because of the pollution they emit, and for the danger they represent for all the animal lives they harm.
Raising awareness has reduce its consumption of single-use plastics and caring about the end of life of our objects has now become imperative for the common good . In this, trash cans remain a largely good option :)
Who are your role models, your inspirations?
Many people inspire me! I think of Martin Skadal in Norway, to Ed Winter in England, to Isra Hirshi in the USA, to Greta Thunberg in Sweden, to Malcom Ferdinand in France. And all the actors of change that are not publicized are also examples to follow!
Any personal ideas or approaches to share with us to better protect the environment on a daily basis?
I think there are as many ways to act as there are people on the planet. For me it is essential to constantly educate oneself, document oneself and question oneself on ethical and environmental issues, but also to share and pass on the fruits of our learning.
Then, changes happen naturally I think, each according to our affinities and our resilience. Reduce your consumption of meat products or become vegetarian, vegan, limit polluting transport, consume on a European scale, travel locally, eat organically, dress ethically, limit your use of single-use plastics; a thousand paths are open to us, we just have to be curious and go explore them.
My tip: develop your concern and proximity to the environment, to the well-being of humans and animals to better support the efforts, then make the necessary changes to improve the conditions of all while listening to each other . As far as possible, we all have a stone to add to the building, however small it may be.
Your ethical wish for the future?
There are many things to hope for. But my wish would be to see more people feel concerned by ethical causes, in the hope of living together in kindness. COGs at the feet and head held high ;)
Thank you very much Adam!
...for taking the time to answer this little interview, and even more for devoting your motivation and energy to the defense of such just causes. We hope that your example inspires many people; you have already at least won the hearts of our team :) Looking forward to a future exchange, and thank you for your many signs of support.
Also discover the other articles and interviews on our blog .