Opt For Organic Cotton To Lessen Pesticide Exposure

Modern agriculture is fundamentally catastrophic to the environment. Chemicals used in pesticides and herbicides devastate the quality of soil and decrease arable land. At the same time, these chemicals continue to contaminate air and water for an extensive period of time after the crops have been harvested. Often times they are unnecessary. The use of organic produce and organic cotton are crucial in reducing your daily exposure to pesticides.

In the last 50 years, with the intense use of pesticides, the US has doubled the number of crops lost to pests. Worse than that, pesticides are harmful to humans. These chemicals are toxic by design. They kill bugs, weeds, fungi, rodents and other "pests."

Although pesticides are regulated, actions are taken far too slowly… the government said that highly toxic pesticides like DDT, chlordane, dursban and others were safe right up to the day the EPA banned them. See the Environmental Working Group's chemical index at www.ewg.org/chemindex for a detailed "chemical report card."

Cotton farming is particularly hard on the environment. Popular demand for cotton textiles, and competition among producers has seen a big change in the last two generations - the increased use of pesticides. Cotton is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world, accounting for 25% of all pesticide use.

These chemicals are taking a toll on our environment and human health as a whole. Every T-shirt made of conventional cotton requires 1/4 pound of harmful chemicals. Studies have found pesticide residues in cotton textiles - of nine different organochlorine pesticides at levels of 0.5 to 2 mg/kg.

According to the USDA, in one year alone over 50 million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. cotton fields. These pesticides deplete the soil and pollute watersheds. Natural fiber alternatives to conventional cotton include organic cotton, hemp and bamboo among others.

Conventional farming relies heavily on pesticides, which are poisons designed to kill living organisms. As far back as 1987, a National Academy of Sciences report estimated that pesticides are responsible for up to 1.4 million cases of cancer. Organic produce presents a safer alternative to conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables. Visit localharvest.org to find a farmer's market near you.

When pesticides are sprayed on food, they don't just contaminate the food we eat, but seep into the soil and get into our groundwater. According to EPA estimates, pesticides contaminate the groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country's population. Best bet, buy organic!

As of 2010 in the US alone, we used over 78 million pounds of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides! Out of 110 children living in a metropolitan area who were tested, 99% were found to have traces of toxic chemicals from the above. It's so important to start switching from conventional cotton to organic cotton or other natural, chemical-free fibers, as well as switching to produce grown sustainably.

For more information about the dangers of pesticides and what you can do to take action, visit: http://www.panna.org