When talking to people about buying green I feel it’s important to point out that being a green consumer can take many forms or “shades”. There’s being green by buying local in an effort to reduce one’s carbon footprint. There’s being green by following the three R’s. There’s being green through efficient use of fuel and energy. All these shades lessen our impact on the planet; some even have the benefit of improving our personal wellbeing. That said there is a shade of green that provides a third benefit: safeguarding the health of those involved in the production of the goods we buy; and that’s through buying organic; particularly when it comes to cotton.

Conventional cotton is one of the world’s most chemically treated crops, consuming 10 percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides. That adds up to 1/3 of a kilogram of chemicals just to produce enough cotton for a single pair of jeans! The impact of all this chemical usage however isn’t felt by those wearing the clothing in question but rather by those that must live around and work with the cotton crops on a day-in-day-out basis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisoning in developing countries, many of those from cotton farming.

Organic cotton on the other hand is grown without the use of pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilizers and relies instead on agricultural methods designed to help sustain the land it grows on, the people who grow and harvest it, and the planet in general. Compost, frequent crop rotations and cover crop strategies replace synthetic fertilizers to keep the soil healthy and productive and weeds are controlled by hand labor instead of herbicide applications. Rather than attempting to eradicate all insects with chemicals, organic farmers cultivate a diversity of beneficial insects that prey on the pests and plant trap crops nearby to draw pests away.

As a result, when it comes time to harvest organic cotton workers aren’t exposed to breathing or otherwise ingesting toxic chemicals while active in the field, and don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching into their water supply and impacting their livestock and children. So whether you’re shopping for diapers, hygiene products or a t-shirt be sure to look for a certified organic logo on your cotton purchase and know that you’re not only making a difference in your life but that of the people who helped produce that product for you.

Tags: Add new tag, Baby, Clothing, Cotton, Environment, Organic

This entry is filed under Environment Issues, Health Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.