"The Cotton Industry and Why Cotton is Bad " by Brooke, Holly, Grace, Ann, Susan and Caoimhe in 5th Class

This blog is about the cotton industry and why cotton is bad.

It takes one kilogram of water of cotton will make only one single t-shirt and pair of jeans. Cotton is the most widespread profitable non-food crop in the world.

Why cotton is bad?

Cotton comes from the fluffy boll that surrounds  cotton plant seeds. Bolls are processed and combed into yarn.  The yarn goes on to be woven together to make various fabric, which are they used to make clothing.

However, cotton has several drawbacks.  Cotton is a difficult material for machines to process as the plants leaves and roots get caught in the machinery.  As a result, cotton farmers started to use chemicals to remove unwanted plant parts.  These chemicals are very toxic.

Worst Offenders

China and India are the top two countries that produce cotton.  The water in these countries is becoming extremely contaminated because of the chemicals used in cotton production.  This has made the water dangerous for drinking, especially in poorer communities.

Top 8 Offenders Around the World Each Year

  • China: 330 million bales
  • India: 27.0 million bales
  • United States: 18 million bales
  • Pakistan: 1.3 million bales
  • Brazil: 9.3 million bales
  • Uzbekistan: 4.6 million bales
  • Australia: 2.9 million bales
  • Turkey: 1.8 million bales

 

By 5th class  – Brooke, Holly, Grace, Ann Susan and Caoimhe