Why is conventionally grown cotton (non-organic) bad for us?
Most people think of cotton as a ‘natural’ product, however, cotton is one of the most chemically intensive crops in the world. In fact, cotton is the worst agricultural crop in terms of its effect on the environment. Not only is cotton the most heavily sprayed crop in the world, it also uses some of the most toxic chemicals. Conventionally grown cotton is non-organic and each year its’ production pumps thousands of tons of pesticides into the environment. 25% of all agricultural chemicals in the world are used on conventional cotton growing. However, cotton growth represents a mere 3% of the world’s arable land use. Cotton production is responsible for the release of 16% of global insecticides, this is more than any other single crop in the world. The human health and environmental cost of pesticide use in global cotton production is well documented. Applied to cotton, aldicarb is one of the most toxic pesticides. A powerful nerve agent aldicarb is classified by the World Health Organ
