Organic Cotton... Sally's take

Sometime last month I was asked along with another group of great ladies if I would be willing to speak at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) about something "Green" related.  I knew I should but would I?  I DO NOT public speak.  I think in high school I joined a speech club but I'm quite certain it was only to impress a boy.  Can't remember who, but why else would I have done something like THAT?

Anyway... I surfed the web and stumbled upon a great website about Organic Cotton.  I learned some interesting statistics such as:

*Conventionally grown cotton consumes approximately 25% of the Insecticides and more than 10% of the Pesticides used in the world.

*It takes about 1/3 of a POUND of pesticides and fertilizers to make a single t-shirt (2/3 of a pound for a pair of jeans)!

*Conventional Cotton relies heavily on fungicides, herbicides & pesticides whereas Organic relies on people and insects.  Think about all this leaching into our soil and drifting into neighboring communities... ick!

My husband has been passionate about Organic cotton since I've known him.  In fact, if we could afford it, we would dress in Organic cotton and buy only Organic cotton products (toilet paper, diapers, sheets, towels, etc).  We have found that we can find some great deals on clothes at Patagonia.  If you go to their web specials, you can find some great stuff!  We also have found Organic cotton Levi's at the Levi store as well as t-shirts at the Disney store.  As Organic Cotton becomes more and more "cool" we find that retailers everywhere are trying to fill that niche.  

Bottom line is, if more people buy organic, then there will be more availability because these farmers will be supported.  Plus it's just better for our environment in general, right?

So that's what I did on Monday.  I survived and I think I might have made a couple people laugh at my Fisher Price Farmer and Cow props.  My friend Sarah was nice enough to play Vanna White for me and hold up the props.  It was really just a ploy to make it so that I wouldn't have to stand up there by myself (I'm kidding Sarah, thank you for your help).  

For more fabulous green tips, please visit AJ's blog.  She knows all about recycling, eating greener & whatnot.  She knows far more information than she gives herself credit for.

Now I just hope AJ and I don't get caught shopping at Fred Meyer without our reusable grocery bags!  Talk about accountability!!!

Did I mention that AJ and I were the only volunteers to speak?  Talk about pressure!  I'm glad that Sarah spoke too... she had some great info and plans on posting it to our local MOPS blog soon... I hope.  Maybe she'll post it to her blog so I can send you all there (hint, hint, Sarah).

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."  -  Native American Proverb