United States President Barack Obama said combating climate change cannot be the work of governments alone – we all have the power to imagine a new future, get involved and make a difference.

Obama issued a challenge for nations to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a memorable speech at The University of Queensland ahead of the G20 Summit in Brisbane saying ‘we cannot forget the need to lead on the global fight against climate change’.

Obama said Australia and the United States are big greenhouse gas emitters – and both countries have to step up. Failure to act would mean increasing temperatures, more extreme and frequent storms, longer droughts, more wildfires and threaten the natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef.  “This past summer worldwide was the hottest on record – no nation is immune and every nation has a responsibility to do its part,” he said.

You know that old saying – take care of your pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves? If we upcycle that it can become – if we each take action to reduce consumption of energy-intense resources then our collective greenhouse-gas emissions will abate.

My choice is to wear second-hand, upcycled and refashioned clothing as a way to minimise the carbon footprint of my clothing. That footprint is further reduced by my choice of natural fibres instead of synthetic fibres which have much more embodied energy (see earlier post).

For Day 319 of the 365-day Sew it Again project, my sister Jo has adapted a friend’s cast-off cotton top and trousers for a second life. Jo sewed tucks in the back and sleeves of the striped top so that it better fitted her narrow shoulders. Then she shortened the trouser legs and added a lace trim to turn them into knickerbockers.  Looking comfy Jo!