Cotton and Pesticides

Have you seen the latest Patagonia catalog yet? They
have switched to organic cotton and have a lot of great info about
cotton and
pesticides. They really explain the process and why cotton is causing so
much
pollution. Here is the list of vital statistics they print on the inside
back
cover of the catalog:

Reprinted from Patagonia spring 1996 catalog

Cotton Vital Statistics

Percentage of worldwide insecticides used on cotton production: 25%

Percentage of worldwide agricultural acreage in cotton production: 0.5%

Average pounds of chemicals used on one acre of cotton in the US per
year: 4

Pounds of pesticides used in 1993 on US agriculture fields: 811 million

Percentage of the world market in pesticides controlled by 10 companies:
73%

Pesticide spilled into Sacramento River that killed fish within 20
miles:
metam-sodium

Rank of metam-sodium among pesticides used in 1992 on California cotton:
2nd

Number of fatalities worldwide caused by accidental pesticide poisoning
each year:
20,000

Number of worldwide non-fatal pesticide poisonings each year: 3,000,000

Year Silent Spring was published: 1962

Approximate percentage of change in pesticide use in the US since 1964:
+150%

Number of years cotton has been cultivated: 4,000

Number of years cotton has been cultivated with pesticides: 50

Number of pounds of organic cotton used in Patagonia clothes in 1996:
500,000

Cost to Patagonia of organically-grown cotton vs. cost of conventional
cotton:
apx. 2:1


Anyone who is considering hemp cotton blends should think carefully
about these
statistics. Better yet someone needs to develop a hemp/organic cotton
blend.

Eric
--
ECOLUTION
P.O. Box 2279
Merrifield, VA 22116
703-207-9001 Ph
703-560-1175 Fax

webmstr@ecolution.com

http://www.ecolution.com/

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