The Truth About Cotton
Cotton is a wonderfully breathable fabric. Ideal for spring, summer and during the summer heat. It's so natural, very simple... but is that really true?
I did some investigation on cotton crop in Pakistan on the internet and came across some disturbing facts.
Did you realize about the 25% share of insecticides used in this world is used for the production of cotton?
In order to grow enough cotton to create a single t-shirt 1/3 of a pound of chemicals would be required.
The more I read about cotton production and farming and production, the more concerned I became. What is the truth or what is fiction? Traditional cotton farming poses a risk for our environment as well as our health.
Let's talk about the insecticide part of the equation. Which is better? get malaria to spread through cotton farming communities and the surrounding regions because of mosquito breeding in the cotton fields, or the use of insecticides to kill mosquitoes with the risk of introducing the poison to our environment?
Mosquitos aren't the only pests. Numerous pests can harm the growth of cotton, which is why huge quantities of chemicals are required to keep cotton plants well-maintained.
Based on Food And Agriculture Organization (United Nations) News, "Globally, more insecticides are used on cotton than on any other crop. In 1995, US$1.8 billion was spent on insecticides for cotton, 14 percent of the total US$12 billion spent on insecticides worldwide. Nearly 70 percent of the world's cotton-cropping area treated with insecticides is in China, India and Pakistan, making them major markets for the insecticide industry."
The problem with insecticides is excessive use can lead to the insects to become more and resistant to the poison. Hence more lethal insecticides are made to keep the population of pests in check. Besides killing the intended pests, these chemicals may also kill the tiny mammals that consume the pests. There are fewer predators around the pests can reproduce more quickly, creating an increased pest issue than prior to.
That's not all. Poor farmers who are unaware of the dangers of these substances are most likely to be hurt by insecticides they use. In addition to killing pests wildlife, they are also impacted by insecticides, which are released into the water, air and soil, impacting the natural environment.
For instance, take the pesticide known as endosulfan for instance. When the field has been treated by endosulfan, earthworms emerge from the ground and die. The birds that feed on the earthworms die. The poison gets into through the food chain. If left to its own devices the area treated with the poison would soon be populated with rotting carcasses of wildlife, showing how deadly the pesticides are.
So , how can we make cotton without the hazards associated with conventional cotton cultivation?
Is it possible for cotton farmers to grow cotton without harming the environment?
That's the thing Organic farming is all about. Organic cotton can be grown with no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. In the absence of pesticides, yields would be lower as crops would be lost to pests. For fertilizers, ash cattle manure and palm oil cake could be utilized to fertilize crops. If chemicals must be used organic farmers aren't allowed to use the banned pesticides or fertilizers. If they do make use of chemicals, they must take steps to ensure that the chemicals are not being released from the treated area, thereby minimizing impact.
