insideKENT Magazine Issue 42 - September 2015 | Page 75

cotton – that’s cotton grown without the addition of pesticides, fertilisers,
or chemicals or any sort; cotton that hasn’t been treated with bleaches or
dyes. And the material isn’t just used to make clothes; it has a wide range
of other uses too, including bandages and bedding.

by anything untoward.
The wildlife will be safe
from nasty runoff too –
anything that is washed
away from organic crops
during a rain shower will
be completely harmless.
The chemicals from nonorganic crops can cause
infertility, sickness, and
even death in animals.
And the soil that is used
to grow organic food?
That benefits too. Without
being polluted by chemicals, the soil maintains its nutrient rich components;
so every time a new crop is planted, it has the same minerals and antioxidants
as the crop before, rather than the soil becoming weaker and less fertile
over time. The soil doesn’t need as much time to ‘recover’ after a harvest,
so more crops can be planted, giving a better overall yield.

Everyone loves to wear and use cotton thanks to it being so comfortable,
and good for the skin; but conventional cotton manufacture is responsible
for 15% of the world’s entire pesticide use, so by going organic you will be
helping the environment. You will also add to various countries' (including
Turkey, China, and India) economies that are turning the production of
organic cotton, and the clothing that comes from it, into a thriving industry.
In fact, buying organic in all its forms has the advantage of benefitting others
as well as yourself. Buying organic supports the local economy, as it tends
to be grown and made by smaller, independent, local businesses, or even
by one people working for themselves. It could be in this county, or hundreds,
even thousands of miles away, but wherever the product came from, you’ll
be helping create jobs and put money back into the economy.
Furthermore, it’s not just people who benefit from organic products; wildlife
does too. And the environment as a whole. The absence of pesticides
hasn’t produced terrifying bugs that will demolish our food supply, but what
is has done is enabled the plants themselves to withstand environmental
problems, since they are stronger without being subjected to chemicals.
And the creatures that do eat the plants (because, despite everyone’s best
efforts, some crops will be lunch for birds and animals) won’t be affected

In the long run, the benefits are even more far-reaching. Buying organic
means that fewer people have to come into contact with harmful chemicals
because the demand for non-organic food is lessening, meaning that fewer
chemicals are needed. It’s a circle of change, but it starts with buying
organic and telling others about the benefits of it.

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