Worst offender: t shirts 
The Neighbors
University of Alabama
GREENEST
The University of Alabama prides itself in many things, academics, the multiple research labs on
campus, 14 national championships in football, our Quidditch team, but most of all, the ability
to give large amounts of t shirts away to their students.
As a college student, the unofficial dress code is to always and forever wear a t shirt. They’re
kind of a big deal. Unfortunately, the cotton itself is not to be prided in (is that a word?). Cotton
is the heaviest sprayed crop on the planet. Why is it that such a common place necessity item is
so maltreated? Common pesticides (that were most likely in my t shirt right now) are
toxophene and methyl parathion. Both of these are classified as “a highly toxic insecticide”.
Toxophene - an organochlorine compound that is a tasteless, pleasant-smelling mixture
that is fat soluble, possessing low molecular weight and low volatility. It is classified as not safe
for household application (yet, it’s in our clothes?). It’s also banned in countries because of its
toxicity. When inhaled or ingested, sufficient quantities of toxaphene can damage the lungs,
nervous system, and kidneys, and may cause death. It is classified as an IARC Group 2B
carcinogen. Because toxophene is a bioaccumalative, it does not easily break down in our
environment and becomes more concentrated as it moves up the food chain to humans and
other animals. Levels may be high in some predatory fish and mammals because toxaphene
accumulates in the bodies of those exposed to it.
Methyl parathion - a highly toxic insecticide in EPA toxicity class I. Some or all
formulations of methyl parathion may be classified as Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). This is a
colorless crystalline solid. It is highly toxic if ingested, and primarily affects the nervous system.
Once again, if it affects my nervous system, why am I wearing it? Methyl parathion degrades
rapidly in seawater, lake, and river waters, with 100% degradation occurring within 2 weeks to
1 month or more. It is also toxic to bees, moderately toxic to marine animals, and harmful to
birds.
Unfortunately, the United States is a fast paced culture that wants stuff now. So the
farmers feel this pressure and feel they have to get as much cotton out as quickly as possible.
They do this by using heavy amounts of chemicals on the oh-so-loved cotton. But the bright
side is that some farmers are still conscious of the environment. You think they all would,
seeing that it’s their job to be so.
“Analysis of available data collected by an Organic Trade
Association survey of U.S. organic cotton producers and
preliminary data from the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing
Cooperative (TOCMC) put planted area at 10,731 acres in 2009,
up from an estimated 8,539 acres in 2008. The 2009 plantings are
the highest since 2001, when 11,586 acres were planted by U.S.
cotton growers.”
This is great! Hope in humanity is not lost, luckily. There are farmers (and quite a few acres)
who know about the benefits of organic cotton. Also, since a cotton t shirt is such a necessity,
many people and companies have made organic cotton alternatives that are much healthier
and more beneficial to all those involved. By going organic instead of conventional, it protects
the health of the farmers, the people buying the t shirts, and the planet by reducing the overall
exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water
and food supply.
Oh hey! A 100% organic cotton alternative!
made from the same brand of t shirt!
and it’s PGC!
Anvil t shirt made of organic cotton from
CustomInk.com
Wait! There’s more!
Conservation-tillage farming- this is a minimalist approach to crop cultivation; soil is disturbed as little
as possible so that farmers can reduce erosion and utilize farmland as long as possible. This also
preserves biodiversity by disrupting the natural ecosystem as much as possible and it also cuts back on
labor costs and it saves energy. If farmers use fossil-fueled power equipment, this can be incredible.
Terracing- this type of sustainable farming utilizes the natural slope of the land and is especially
effective because water can run down the slope and hydrate the crops and reduce water waste and
retain water to be more efficient with the resource. Additionally, this type of farming reduces soil
erosion.
Strip cropping- This type of cropping involves alternating crops from row to row to preserve biodiversity
and reduce depletion of soil nutrients so that land will remain fertile indefinitely and farmers can
preserve their own livelihood.
Cover cropping- Farmers will grow plants like alfalfa, clover, or rye after harvesting the main crop so
that nutrients don’t deplete between harvesting and re-planting.
Agroforestry- This method is another way to reduce erosion. Crops are planted between rows of trees
and shrubs that provide shade so that water loss is minimized (not as much evaporation) and soil
moisture is preserved. This is especially helpful during times of drought, which is more and more
unpredictable during these times of climate change. The trees are also beneficial because they can grow
fruit or nuts or trimmings to be used for compost/manure.
Windbreaks- These are trees that are planted around fields so that wind doesn’t affect the cropping and
the harvest (and it reduces wind erosion). They help conserve soil moisture and according to Miller in his
textbook, “Living in the Environment,” windbreaks “increase crop productivity by 5-10% and provide
habitats for birds, pest-eating and pollinating insects, and other animals.”
Organic fertilizer- Farmers use organic fertilizer as a way to restore depleted nutrients to the soil
without interrupting the natural soil balance.
Animal manure- farm animal waste “improves soil structure, adds organic nitrogen, and
stimulates beneficial soil bacteria and fungi.”
Green manure- this type of manure includes anything green or plant-derived. It could be freshly
vegetation and it increases nutrients and humus quality for the next crop.
Compost-This is
something that can be incorporated on a commercial and residential scale! Organic matter (green
material- leaves, food waste- and brown material- wood, paper, soil) is broken down by microorganisms
with oxygen to create a nutritious soil-like mixture that will help fertilize crops.
Crop rotation-One year, farmers plant crops that deplete the soil; the next year, farmers plant legumes
that add nitrogen to the soil. This way, nutrients balance out and soil erosion is less of a possibility
because of the constant vegetation coverage.
SOURCES
http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/methylpa.htm
http://www.epa.gov/pbt/pubs/toxaphene.htm
http://www.customink.com/
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/819082overview
http://www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_envir
onment.html
Source: “Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and
Solutions (fifteenth edition)” by G. Tyler Miller, Jr.