Cotton…the fabric of our lives?
Cotton has long been a staple fabric in our
lifestyle. However, despite
being naturally grown, cotton fiber raises environmental concerns.
Conventionally grown cotton fiber is saturated with chemical
fertilizers and pesticides. In
fact, 25% of all insecticides used globally each year are applied to
cotton.[1]
Problems with natural cotton
- Farm
worker health
- Drinking
water contamination
- Air
pollution
- Depletion
of soil nutrients
- Increased
exposure to carcinogens
- Reproductive
and other health risks
An alternative to conventionally grown cotton is
organic cotton.
Advantages of organic cotton
- It’s
produced without any pesticides or chemicals.
- It
is farmed using natural methods such as hand weeding, crop rotation,
compost and natural fertilizers, and the introduction of beneficial
bugs.
- Sustainable
agriculture is encouraged.
- Natural
resources are preserved.
- Organic
cotton feels softer and is a good choice as a clothing fabric.
To learn more about the
subject of organic cotton, read WasteCap’s Summer
2000 Newsletter.
For more information check
out these websites:
www.sustainablecotton.org
www.organiccottondirectory.net
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http://www.simplelife.com/organiccotton/13PSTCDSSTTSTCS.html
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