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Experts say America's fast-fashion obsession can be fixed with this 20-outfit wardrobe

Brace yourselves. They suggest only two outfits for festive occasions.

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A woman dives into her messy closet.

How much is too much? This is a question so many of us ask ourselves, especially when we're attempting to de-clutter and scale down. For many, there's no place more baffling than our closets and t-shirt drawers. Letting go can be extremely difficult, but even more challenging? Not constantly adding to our ever-growing piles, especially as fast fashion often makes clothes so inexpensive.

According to sustainability studies researched in the last few years, Americans are buying way too many clothes. (It's not just Americans, of course.)

Decluttering a closet. www.youtube.com, Home Reimagined

In the Hot or Cool Institute fashion report, they find, "Recent trends in fashion consumption are clear: we are consuming more fashion and at a faster rate than ever before, while paying increasingly less for it and weaving a dirty tapestry of social and environmental impacts."

In Vogue's article, "How Many Clothes Do I Need, Exactly?" Emily Chan and Christina Pérez point out (citing the same study) that if we were to keep in accordance with the Paris Agreement, we only need to buy five items of clothing a year. They write, "Since the average American currently buys 53 new items a year, that means that the vast majority of us would need to cut back on the number of clothes we purchase for our yearly wardrobes by at least 90%."

declutter, closet, clothes, sustainability A rack of clothing hanging in a closet. Photo by Ani Rain on Unsplash

But perhaps this is a bit of old news. The question becomes - what can we DO about it? Chan and Perez state, "With this in mind, the researchers found that a 'sufficient' wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits total for those who live in a two-season climate, and 85 garments in total for those who live in a four-season climate."

They cite examples from the study. "They’ve suggested that this modern capsule wardrobe could consist of an average of six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, and two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and pants or skirts."

Some might cringe just thinking about having only two outfits for festive occasions. How realistic is this for the average person? Luckily Reddit has a few other ideas and it was surprising to find that many of them kept in accordance with climate sustainability.

In the subreddit group r/declutter, someone asks, "How many clothes SHOULD I have?" In part, they write, "I feel like setting # amounts on categories of clothes might help me with these obstacles, so like saying I can only keep 10 short sleeve shirts, 5 pants, or so on.... but I'm not sure what realistic numbers are? Has anyone decluttered in this way before or have any advice that could help me?"

declutter, messy, closet, sustainability Hands open up a messy closet. Giphy Tidy Up GIF

One person says it should be decided based on your laundry cycle and their proposal is even fewer outfits. They suggest, "Let's assume 7 day laundry cycle, so 10 days worth of clothes. Pull everything out of your closet, pull together the best 10 outfits that are seasonally appropriate for the next 3 to 6 months - essentially what will take you to the next big season change. You can reuse pieces, if they go with multiple items, eg of your 10 outfits, 4 might involve one pair of jeans. Underwear and anything that needs washing after one wear you will need 10 of."

Another Redditor suggests using the hanger method to determine what to keep and what to donate. "Yesterday, I started the turn-around hanger method to see what I actually wear over the course of a year. TBH: I know what I don't wear, but I want to see it for myself. If you keep washing and wearing the same stuff (and the other stuff never gets worn), then that's the focus."

And quite a few swear by The Container Concept, discussed by Dana K. White in her book Decluttering at the Speed of Life.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The commenter explains regarding this concept: "Your wardrobe, your dresser - that is the space you have for clothes. So first take everything out and then portion your space up. For example, this is the drawer for socks, this is the section of rail for shirts, and so on. Then for each type of clothing, start putting things back in, based on what you wear most, what you like most, what you need most. Do one round of your top items, then do another round, then another until your drawer/shelf/rail is full. That's it! There's no more space, so the rest has to go."

Most agree - less is more. It's better for your peace of mind. And more importantly, the planet will thank you.

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6 ways America might look different 83 years after leaving the Paris Agreement.

With the Trump administration reportedly set to leave the Paris climate agreement, it's time to focus on what's really important: tourism!

Since the rollout of Trump's Muslim ban, hotels, airlines, and destinations are already losing millions as international travelers avoid the United States. But by leaving the Paris agreement, under which signatories agree to limit global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius, the administration is ensuring that the tourism industry of 2100 will boom like never before!

President Trump may be scaring away visitors now, but America will look like a completely different country by then. A mere 76-80 years after Trump is gone, America will deliver a whole new climate change-affected experience for the adventurous tourist to enjoy!

We might be too lazy to change the slogans, but nature is probably going to change the views a whole lot.

Get pumped. Here's what the rebrand might look like:

1. Visit beautiful Miami!

Your grandma's old condo is in there somewhere. Photo via iStock.

Without the concerted effort to curb carbon emissions and reduce temperature rise mandated by the Paris Agreement, the ensuing six- to 10-foot sea level rise by 2100 would probably sink much of the Florida city.

On the plus side, more party yachts and deep sea fishing!

2. Experience nature's defrosted majesty at Montana's Glacier National Park!

Photo via iStock.

The park's signature glaciers have already shrunk 40% over the past 50 years, and the more global temperature rises, the more that trend is expected to accelerate.

Why haul your family all the way to Montana for some boring millennia-old ice sheets when you could travel thousands of miles to see ... just some regular mountains!

3. Explore the magnificent, colorful coral reefs of Key West!

Photo via iStock.

Ocean warming has already bleached 91% of the Great Barrier Reef. And if it can happen in Australia, there's no reason why it couldn't happen here too.

Turns out, it already is — down in the Florida Keys! And more to come as the temperature rises!

We're #1! We're #1!

4. See the majestic swimming ponies of Assateague Island!

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

The famous Maryland/Virginia horse sanctuary is one of many eastern barrier islands that could be doomed by rising sea levels. Every year, the wild herd swims from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island, a tourist event that draws 50,000 people to the small island community.

If sea levels continue rising, the ponies might have to adjust to longer swims — but the island's kayaking industry will boom!

5. Roam the rolling wheat fields of Kansas!

Part of a complete breakfast. Photo via iStock.

A 2015 Kansas State University study found that wheat production will likely decline 6% for every degree Celsius of temperature rise.

With more of the state's fertile farmland decaying into hazy, spooky wastelands, Halloween travel to the state is sure to explode!

6. Get up close and personal with history at Mar-a-Lago!

Photo via iStock.

Along with the rest of southern Florida, a double-digit sea level rise could reduce President Trump's favorite play place to damp, moldy rubble.

If ruined monuments to civilizational hubris rake in the bucks in Greece and Rome, imagine how well they'll do in a country that really knows how to cash in!

While the window to stop the president from withdrawing from the Paris Agreement appears to be closing (for now), it hasn't happened yet!

Which means if you like America as is, there's still time to try to preserve it for your kids and grandkids.

Photo by Astrid Riecken/Getty Images.

For those of us who aren't in office, one of the most effective ways to help save the planet is to let those who are know how we feel about the choices they make.

According to an Associated Press report, 22 Republican senators are pressuring Trump to leave the accord. If you're represented by one of them, you can give them a call to try to change their mind.

If you're represented by Sen. Lindsay Graham, Rep. Vern Buchanan, or any of the other Republican elected officials who support staying in the agreement, call them and tell them to keep doing what they're doing.

Even if the agreement goes down, all won't be lost right away. Here's some hopeful reading that describes the best-case scenario to a Paris Agreement-less U.S. — a massive grassroots backlash that leads to more renewable energy innovation and a greener future. And cities and states are stepping in to enact tougher emissions rules where the federal government is stepping back.

But in the meantime, get calling.

The stakes are too high to hope for the best.

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Trump might exit the Paris Agreement. A Republican is begging him not to with a photo.

Over the weekend, signals that President Donald Trump intends to abandon the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change began blaring.  

Photo by Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images.

A group of 22 Republican senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell along with White House aide Steve Bannon, White House counsel Don McGahn, and EPA chief Scott Pruitt, have reportedly urged Trump to exit the agreement, which requires signatory nations to take whatever steps they deem necessary to limit worldwide temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius.

While Trump tweeted on Saturday morning that he would make a final decision in the coming days, several people close to Trump have said that he is "[planning] to leave" the deal, according to an Axios report.

The reports appear to have unnerved even some Republicans, specifically those whose districts stand to take on a fair amount of water should the agreement fall apart and sea levels continue to rise — which could occur at a terrifyingly rapid rate without a serious global effort to curb carbon emissions.

On Tuesday, Florida GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan tweeted a picture of his coastal district, along with a message for the president.

Buchanan's district includes the city of Sarasota and a group of barrier islands, all of which are threatened by rising sea levels.

A 2013 study found that if the rise in carbon emissions continues at the current rate, parts of Florida's 16th congressional district could see half or more of its population displaced by 2100.

Buchanan is not the only Republican asking Trump to reconsider withdrawing from the agreement either.

Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, who represents South Carolina, home to a number of coastal cities and low-lying islands, added his voice to the chorus on Sunday, telling CNN's Jake Tapper that leaving the agreement would be "bad for the [GOP], bad for the country."

It might be relatively easy to ignore the problem of rising sea levels from landlocked states like Kansas or Montana or Tennessee.

Or from Air Force One, for that matter.

But it's not so easy when, like Buchanan, Graham, and others, you wake up staring at the potential consequences each morning.

It's been a good run. Photo by Roger W/Flickr.

Buchanan's record on climate change is certainly mixed — at best. Last year, the congressman earned a 29% rating from the League of Conservation Voters and just a 21% rating overall. But even if he's late to the party, voices like his are unfortunately rare enough to be essential.

The more pro-climate GOP voices join the debate, the easier it will be for more Republicans from coastal areas who want their beautiful views to continue on undisturbed to face reality and stand up against climate change.

It's in everyone's best interest. Reality, after all, has a way of biting back before too long.

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The Paris climate accord has been approved! Now here's what that actually means for you.

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For the first time in history, representatives of 195 nations agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Rejoice! Hooray! The world is saved!

GIF from "Captain Planet," obvi.

Well. Sort of. Ish. For now.

The so-called "Paris Agreement" was signed into effect Saturday evening, Dec. 12, 2015, after two weeks of grueling negotiations (and technically one day after what was supposed to have been the end of the Conference of the Parties, but that's OK).

It is a landmark step in slowing the effects of climate change across the globe. The mere fact that 195 nations actually came together and agreed on something is a pretty remarkable feat in itself, especially considering that the last 20 times the United Nations tried to get together to address global warming, all ended in resounding shrugs.

GIF via MTV News/Kanye.

While the historical importance of this cooperation is certainly worth celebrating, it's also an easy distraction from the more ... lackluster aspects of the climate deal.

Imagine those 195 nations involved in the agreement are 195 friends who all went out for dinner one night.

Now imagine the nightmare of trying to split the bill 195 ways. The Democratic Republic of the Congo doesn't want to go in on the $300 bottle of wine that the United States bought for the table. And the Marshall Islands had two more pieces of calamari than Brazil did, so Brazil wants them to pay the difference. Then, of course, there's Monaco, who only got a salad and yes OK paid for exactly what they ate plus a stingy tip, but they didn't factor in the tax and everyone else wants them to split the cost of the appetizers, too. And we haven't even gotten started on entrees yet!

Let's just say there was a lot of compromise involved. But hey, at least everyone had a good time, right?

Actual footage from the signing of the agreement. GIF via New York Times.

For example, there was a whole lotta hemming and hawing about the difference between a 1.5° and 2°C global temperature increase.

We know the overall climate is warming and we need to stop it before it gets worse. But there's some disagreement on what "worse" means, exactly.

The general consensus has been that 2 degrees Celsius is the cutoff for rising global temperatures by the end of the century. Any hotter than that, and it gets increasingly difficult to predict just how unpredictable the ecological damage could be. Also, 2 degrees seemed like a pretty attainable goal for most countries.

There are others, however, who were pushing to cap the rise at 1.5 degrees. And while that half-degree might seem like splitting hairs, there are some parts of the world where it could be the difference between life and death.

GIF from "Anchorman."

The result of all this back-and-forth? The global temperature increase will be capped at ... um ... well, we're gonna cap the global temperature increase.

Basically, every country gets to set its own limits for greenhouse gas emissions. These limits will be publicly available through the UN website so all nations can be held to proper public scrutiny.

Unfortunately, there's not really any requirement for these emission reductions other than "less than what we're doing now." Amid the fancy legalese of the formal agreement, it actually says: "Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible" (emphasis mine).

That's remarkably vague and noncommittal, especially for a legally binding contract. But the parties will reconvene every five years to review their progress and maybe-possibly increase those limits. So that's something?

The upside of the Paris Agreement: Everyone agrees that we need to take climate action.

Even if specific action is still left to the discretion of each nation, this is a big move in the right direction.

While the issue of global warming is hardly "solved" and we're not any closer to saving the planet once and for all (if such a thing is even possible), at least we acknowledge there's a problem, and we're committing to fix it.

Yes, there are some changes that will happen in your country and some things that might be integrated into your day-to-day lives. But you might not even notice them, and they might not be enough to make a difference.

That might seem like cold comfort. But it all depends on what we do from here on out.

So let's pledge as individuals to embrace climate-conscious lives whenever possible.

Vote with your dollars and go green when you can. You don't have to buy solar panels for your home — just pay attention to what you recycle. Walk, bike, or carpool when you can (and maybe next time you buy a car, aim for electric). Be aware of the world as you move through it, and consider the impact that actions might have on the future of our planet. And whenever there's an option that involves less fossil fuels, I implore you to take it.

That might be as vague and noncommittal as the Paris Agreement. But everything has to start somewhere.

Let's get started.

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