Why change your shirt?

Conventional cotton is known to be one of the most pesticide intensive crops on the planet, as it is susceptible to a number of pests (particularly when grown in monoculture). And the defoliants used to strip cotton of its leaves before harvesting are some of the deadliest man-made chemicals available. (see Agent Orange )

Other synthetic fibers like nylon, polyester and traditional rayon are derived from petroleum, and so, of course, are those pesky fertilizers, pesticides and defoliants. Freeing ourselves from these industrial fibers represents one more step towards freeing ourselves from fossil fuel dependency.

Bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton all offer excellent alternatives to the highly-toxic conventional textiles, and the future of sustainable agriculture depends not on a single panacea, but on a healthy diversity of alternatives.