All About Organic Cotton
What is organic cotton?
Organically grown cotton has been produced without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. A field must be pesticide free for three years for the cotton to be certified organic, therefore, it is safe for consumers, the farmers and workers who grow it, and the natural environment.
Why is organic cotton important?
Non-organically (conventionally) grown cotton can cause irreparable damage to the natural environment and to farm workers, and may contaminate drinking water. Organic farming methods actually help regenerate soil that has been damaged by overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Do conventional (non-organic) cotton farmers really use many chemicals?
Unfortunately, yes. It takes 2/3 of a pound of pesticides to make one pair of jeans, and 1/3 of a pound to make a single T-shirt. Conventional cotton accounts for 10% of global pesticide use. The EPA says that conventional agriculture is responsible for 70% of all problems in U.S. rivers and streams.
Can any of these chemicals cause cancer?
Yes. According to the EPA, five of the top nine pesticides used in cotton production in the US (cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin) are known cancer-causing chemicals. All five are classified as Category I and II, the most dangerous of chemicals, by the EPA.
How do pesticides/insecticides affect farm workers?
Farm workers suffer the most by being in direct contact with many of these chemicals. The World Health Organization estimates accidental pesticide poisoning causes 20,000 deaths and 3 million non-fatal poisonings every year, worldwide.
Are there any other health problems that pesticides/insecticides can cause?
Yes. Originally formulated as nerve gases for warfare, at least 107 pesticide active ingredients are carcinogenic. Pesticides have been responsible for birth defects, respiratory problems, behavioral changes, infertility, sterility, and hormonal imbalances.
How do pesticides/insecticides and chemical fertilizers cause problems for the wildlife?
Besides killing pests – which eventually become immune to the chemicals – pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers are just as toxic to wildlife as they are to humans.
Can these chemicals get into our food?
Yes. 60 percent of a cotton crop, by weight, enters the food chain in the form of cottonseed oil which is used widely in processed foods, and as cottonseed feed for cows. The pesticide residues from these cottonseeds concentrate in the tissues of these animals, and are passed on to consumers in meat and dairy products.
How else can chemicals be bad for the environment?
Heavy chemical use promotes soil erosion and unhealthy ecosystems. The self-healing characteristics of Mother Nature can be severely curbed and lead to large ‘dead zones’ in water like the one recently created in the Gulf of Mexico due to agricultural runoff.
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