Organic cotton? 5 ways it helps the earth and people.

Here are the 5 ways you are helping the earth and people when you buy organic cotton:

1) It helps the soil retain more water. How? Organic cotton builds strong soil through crop rotation (growing more types of crops in one area).  That means not all the crops are mono crops which can cause  a significant loss of water in the soil.   Organic cotton soil retains more water efficiently thanks to increased organic matter in the soil.

2) Use of untreated seeds.  Organic cotton never uses GMOs (genetically modified organism) seeds.

3) It maintains a balance  between “pests” and their natural predators through healthy soil.  Organic cotton farmers use beneficial insects like lady bugs to control pests.  Also, biological and cultural methods are used to steer pests away as a natural repellent. 

4) Organic farming does NOT use any pesticides and insecticides.  If you use organic cotton, you don’t have to think about the 1/3 (one-third) of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers used to produce enough cotton for one t-shirt.   

5) Due to no use of any pesticides or insecticides, none of the farmers will get sick or exposed to the toxics.  The EPA considers seven out of the 15 pesticides used in conventional cotton are classified “likely”, “probable”  known as as human carcinogens.

There is a lot you can do just by wearing an organic cotton t-shirt.  Support organic cotton farming.