Conventional cotton is being termed as the dirtiest crop on the planet, and it not only requires $2 billion worth of pesticides each year but also, it consumes 16% of the insecticides in the world. Moreover, the widespread consumption of conventional cotton releases massive amounts of greenhouse gas, nearly 220 million tonnes, into the atmosphere, which makes it a threat to our health, our skin and the environment at large.
Hazards of Conventional Cotton
One t-shirt made with conventional cotton takes up over 2700 liters of water, and even though our planet is largely made up of water, only 3% of it is freshwater, and nearly 1 billion people are unable to obtain it. Millions of deaths are reported due to water-related illnesses, lack of sanitation and scarcity, and yet, farmers still manage to waste 10,000 liters of freshwater only to process on a kilo of conventional cotton.
Researchers have highlighted that thousands of people are dying from cancer, poisoning, and miscarriages that have all resulted due to exposure to the chemicals present in conventional cotton. Birth defects, and other diseases such as asthma, have also been reported due to these toxic chemicals, particularly in developing nations, primarily Uzbekistan and India.
Moreover, the production methods used to grow and produce conventional cotton have extremely unfair working requirements, and nearly 300 million individuals work within the cotton industry. Most farmers and workers from developing nations have to bear unfair wages and extremely long working hours, along with daily exposure to toxic and poisonous substances. This has led to a rampant suicide rate amongst cotton farmers, nearly 11,772 Indian farmers committed suicide in 2013 alone!
Embrace the Change
Organic cotton presents an eco-friendly alternative that is devoid of all toxic chemicals, and it doesn’t contaminate the soil, water, and atmosphere with any harmful substances. It produces 46% lesser CO2e as opposed to conventional cotton and utilizes far less water for irrigation. Moreover, farmers who grow organic cotton do not have to use harmful chemicals; instead, they promote biodiversity by using beneficial insects for pest control.
As opposed to conventional cotton that is ridden with chemicals, organic cotton does not cause any skin allergies, and in fact, it brings about marked improvements in healing certain skin ailments. Furthermore, in promoting and supporting the production of organic cotton and agriculture, we can create a widespread culture of fair working conditions and fair trade for farmers in the developing world.
A Choice to be made
At the end of the day, it is your choice to decide whether you want to expose yourself and your family to all the severe health and skin ailments, which emerge from the chemicals in conventional cotton, which are much likely to infect young children and infants. You can always opt for a better alternative, a purer solution and a fabric that doesn’t have quite so many draw-backs. The choice is yours, use organic cotton and promote a healthy environment and a wholesome lifestyle.
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