In this week's episode, ‘Ropa Americana’, we’re tackling fast fashion on the move. Chile’s Atacama desert has become a fashion graveyard for the world’s unwanted clothes. Every year, nearly 59,000 tons of clothing arrive in Chile’s Iquique port from Europe, Asia, and the United States. Some of it is redistributed and sold throughout Chile, but the vast majority remains in Atacama. Santiago-based circular economy expert Marcela Godoy shares the hard truth behind the underbelly of fast fashion and how plastic clothing is destroying the driest desert in the world. Resources: You can learn more about what’s happening in Atacama on Al Jazeera, BBC News, and EcoWatch. To follow Marcela’s work, check out ADC Circular and StgSlow. The apparel industry is the second-largest polluter in the world (second only to oil) and contributes 10% of global carbon emissions. For a deeper understanding of the fast fashion industry, plastic pollution, and its impact on the planet, visit Changing Markets Foundation Fossil Fashion Series and Eureka Recycling’s Best Practices for Textile Collection. As Marcela mentioned on the show, an organization called Desierto Vestido (Desert Dress) conducted an assessment of the brands found in Atacama - including H&M, Old Navy, and Adidas. You can watch the action on Instagram. Over 1,000 listeners and still counting have placed their trust in People over Plastic’s fearless coverage since we launched in October 2021. Unlike other podcasts, we have no shareholders and no billionaire owner. Just the determination and passion for changing the narrative--to tell a true story, produced by BIPOC storytellers that will build power against corporations and governments invested in plastic production. But projects like ours are often under-resourced and underestimated by many institutional funders. That’s why we depend on supporters like YOU. However big or small, every contribution powers our BIPOC storytelling and sustains our future. Support People over Plastic from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. Thank you. DONATE NOW.