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Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.

Kara Anderson - Greenly

Kara studied her bachelors of law at the University of Glasgow and her masters in international law at the University of Aberdeen, before looking for a more creative career path. She found this in advertising, working as a content manager in London. After a move to Paris in 2019 she decided to switch to freelance copywriting in order to scratch her creative itch. Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.  

After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today.

Stephanie Safdie - Greenly

Stephanie completed a bachelor's degree in English & Multimedia in 2020 at the University of Maryland College Park. She previously worked as a social media content video creator and freelance copywriter. After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today. 

Ines Gendre

After graduating in 2016 with a master’s degree in marketing, Ines began her career in project management. However she soon decided to turn towards writing, to bring her core competencies to the service of societal changes. First working as a freelance copywriter, she joined Greenly in early 2022 to help fight global warming.

Alexis Normand

Alexis is a 37 year-old graduate of HEC and Sciences-Po. After his studies, he spent 2 years working in public policy consulting. He then spent 6 years at Withings, a leading company in connected objects. While there, he continued the companies operations in Boston, USA, and created the company’s health department. After the company was bought by Nokia, he joined the startup Embleema by working through Techstars, one of the best startup incubators in the United States, where he developed a taste for entrepreneurship. His return to France was an opportunity to put all his experience at the service of the environment, during a crucial moment in the climate crisis.

Arnaud Delubac

Arnaud, 26 years old, trained as a designer and in digital communication at INSEEC before joining the Master Entrepreunariat at ESSEC-CentraleSupélec. Passionate about social media since his teenage years, he has created some of the biggest Twitter communities in France before joining the digital communication team of the Prime Minister’s office in Matignon. It was at the Secretaries of State for Digital, Mounir Mahjoubi and Cédric O, where Arnaud directly managed the team, that he developed a strong conviction for the need to use technology to bring awareness to the greatest causes of our time.

Matthieu Vegreville

Matthieu is a 28 year-old graduate engineer from Ecole Polytechnique and Télecom Paris, with a background in data science at Withings. While there, he worked on watch activity detection algorithms, and developed a health study activity so that connected objects could be used to better monitor certain pathologies. He has long been involved in data science projects with his brother, who has the same training. Faced with the urgency of the climate crisis, he decided to put his know-how at the service of the environment. 

Justine Dumont

Justine a toujours été passionnée de lecture et d’écriture. En 2019, elle parvient justement à faire de sa passion son métier, en devenant rédactrice web indépendante. Motivée par ses engagements écologiques, elle rejoint l’équipe de Greenly en 2022 afin de mettre ses compétences au service de la cause environnementale. 

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Is cotton sustainable? Is cotton bad for the environment? And what is cotton in the first place?

Is Cotton Culture Really Sustainable?

<p id="">Cotton is a commodity that has been used around the world for over the last several millennia. It is a &nbsp;valuable resource due to its versatility and practicality. It is so useful, in fact, that slaves have been &nbsp;bought and shipped to work cotton fields and wars have been fought over cotton production. </p><p id="">Now, we face new questions in the timeline of this powerful plant: is cotton sustainable? Is cotton bad &nbsp;for the environment? And what is cotton in the first place?</p><p id="">‍</p><p id=""> </p><figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center" data-rt-max-width=""><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/63557d93e667e7bebddd3481_is-cotton-culture-really-sustainable.jpg" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id="">What is cotton? </h2><h3 id="">Cotton, definition</h3><p id="">Cotton is the soft, fluffy product of the cotton plant, a shrub widely cultivated across the world. It is the most widely produced non-food crop on the planet. &nbsp;</p><p id=""><strong id="">Cotton is the most abundant naturally-occurring polymer, made up of almost pure cellulose</strong> – typically about 90% of cotton fibers are cellulose. Compare this to wood, which is usually between 40 and 50% cellulose. &nbsp;</p><blockquote id="">📖 A polymer is a type of material that is flexible and not dense. Since cellulose is a polymer, it makes &nbsp;cotton a moldable object. Plastic can sometimes resemble cotton because both are made up of polymers. </blockquote><p id="">Cotton is best known for its use in the clothing industry, but is also used to produce a wide variety of &nbsp;other fibers and products, including: &nbsp;</p><ul id=""><li id="">Denim</li><li id="">Corduroy </li><li id="">Fishing nets </li><li id="">Towels </li><li id="">Coffee filters </li></ul><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Where does cotton grow and where does it come from? </h3><blockquote id="">👉 Cotton cultivation dates as far back as 5500 BC in Asia and the Americas. <strong id="">It is native to tropical and sub tropical parts of the Americas.</strong> </blockquote><p id=""><a href="https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL" id="">Currently, India and China are the largest producers of cotton on the planet, creating 29 million tons and 18 million tons of cotton products in 2020, respectively. </a></p><p id="">Although the United States is the third greatest cotton producer, it exports the greatest amount of raw cotton of any country. </p><p id="">Cotton is grown mostly in 17 states in the south of the U.S, from California to Virginia. <strong id="">Texas is the largest producer of cotton in the country. &nbsp;</strong></p><p id="">‍</p><figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/63557e04b77480103652f384_is-cotton-culture-really-sustainable.jpg" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">How are cotton shirts made?</h3><p id="">Cotton production starts with the growing of the cotton shrubs and the subsequent harvesting of the white cotton itself. </p><p id="">When cotton is harvested in the fields, it is known as seed cotton. This is because the fluffy white fiber contains seeds that are later removed and often processed into other products such as cotton seed oil. </p><p id="">Without seeds, cleaned cotton is pressed into bales of lint, making the cotton ready for shipment. &nbsp;</p><p id="">For reference, one bale of cotton weighs about 480 pounds, being comprised of only cleaned cotton. <strong id="">Just one bale is enough cotton to make over 1,200 shirts. &nbsp;</strong></p><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Why is cotton so popular? </h3><p id="">There are many reasons why cotton is popular. It is a dynamic fabric that can be used to create many different types of products. Cotton culture is influenced by its various uses. </p><p id="">Cotton is easy to take care of, is lightweight, and is comfortable no matter the time of year. It keeps you warm in the cold by insulating your body warmth. At the same time, it keeps you cool in the heat, &nbsp;absorbing sweat and evaporating it. </p><p id="">Although some modern, synthetic fabrics like polyester may dry faster or regulate temperature better than cotton, <strong id="">cotton is one of the most useful, balanced natural &nbsp;fabrics available</strong>. </p><p id="">Cotton is also popular because the cotton plant is quite a durable shrub when it comes to ground type. It &nbsp;can handle many different types of soil and still produce a good crop. It likes hot weather but doesn’t &nbsp;like to be overwatered, a very common climate found in the southern U.S. where it is grown extensively. </p><blockquote id="">⚠️ However, the cotton plant is very susceptible to disease and pests. </blockquote><p id="">‍</p><figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/63557e3e6a6ecbd482793fb3_is-cotton-culture-really-sustainable.jpg" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id="">Why is cotton bad for the environment? </h2><h3 id="">Cotton’s pollution effects </h3><p id=""><strong id="">Due to cotton’s propensity for attracting pests, cotton plants typically are sprayed with tons of pesticides.</strong> Fertilizers are applied too, to increase the growing potential of the plant and its crop. &nbsp;</p><blockquote id="">👉 But both the pesticides and the fertilizers are strong polluters – they have negative effects on the quality of soil, water, and air of the areas close to the pesticide application. </blockquote><p id="">One of their most significant environmental impacts is water contamination of the waterways that streams and rivers nearby cotton plantations flow into. <strong id="">Cotton farming can affect both the immediate toxicity of aquifers, rivers, wetlands and lakes and the long-term accumulation of harmful hydrocarbons. &nbsp;</strong></p><p id="">All these factors affect the health of ecosystems that are threatened by pesticides and fertilizers, &nbsp;products intended to kill or stimulate growth. &nbsp;</p><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Farming practices for cotton </h3><p id="">A well-known fact about farming is that rotating your crops – switching the crop you plant on a plot of soil every year or few years – is good for the soil. That is because different plants have unique root structures and shapes, balancing out wear and tear from years past. </p><p id="">They also use and bring different nutrients to the soil. So, rotating your crops will keep your future plants healthy and happy. &nbsp;</p><p id="">But of course, <strong id="">if you have a monoculture of a crop in one area for years on end, it will deplete the soil quality and volume</strong>. </p><blockquote id="">👉 Due to cotton’s popularity and our reliance on it for clothing and other goods, we need a lot of cotton. So much, in fact, that cotton is often grown year after year on the same plots of land. And of course, <strong id="">this means cotton has degraded soil quality globally</strong>. </blockquote><p id="">This soil exhaustion can commonly lead to an expansion of the fields to find better soil, leading to &nbsp;destruction of habitat that was otherwise untouched. &nbsp;</p><p id="">Farming practices of cotton, alongside its production, require a significant amount of water. In fact, each &nbsp;pound of cotton produced needs over 2,500 gallons of water to complete its lifecycle from germination &nbsp;to finished piece of fabric. This includes planting, nurturing, harvesting, processing, and dying of the &nbsp;cotton. </p><p id="">‍</p><figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/63557e70a56d7fcb5ed89ab1_is-cotton-culture-really-sustainable.jpg" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id="">Making cotton culture more sustainable </h2><p id="">Despite its negative environmental impacts, cotton will continue to be a commodity our society relies on. With this in mind, we need to consider how we can make cotton culture more sustainable. </p><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Improve personal habits </h3><p id=""><strong id="">A great way to improve your impact as well as cotton’s impact on the environment is to be less wasteful.</strong> There are several ways to do this in your day-to-day life, such as: </p><ul id=""><li id="">Selling, trading, or donating clothes when you no longer need them, or they don’t fit anymore. </li><li id="">Learning to knit to stitch your clothing rips occur </li><li id="">Buying second-hand clothes. &nbsp;</li><li id="">Making quilts out of clothes that are no longer wearable. &nbsp;</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><p id="">All of the above habits can limit the amount of cotton that needs to be produced on your behalf by &nbsp;finding creative ways to recycle cotton within your home and community. </p><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Improving irrigation and other water use in cotton production </h3><p id="">As we have discussed, water use is a significant part of the problem with cotton’s sustainability. &nbsp;</p><p id=""><strong id="">A lot of water can be saved if farmers improve their irrigation practices.</strong> Where possible, it is best for the &nbsp;sake of water consumption to simply not irrigate at all – instead, only rely on rainwater. </p><p id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/desertification-definition-causes-and-impacts" id="">But as climate change exacerbates drought, this option will become less and less feasible.</a></p><p id=""><strong id="">Another choice is to use drip irrigation.</strong> This technology allows only small drips of water to be released at &nbsp;a time along the ground, minimizing overwatering and evaporation. &nbsp;</p><p id="">On the other end of cotton production, some clothing designers are looking for solutions to the environmental impacts of cotton. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/nike-colordry-water-free-sustainable-materials" id="">For example, Nike created a technology that can eliminate the need of &nbsp;water from the dying process.</a> </p><blockquote id="">👉 While this is a step in the right direction, it would be most impactful if Nike shared the technology with its competitors for the sake of water use across the industry. </blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id="">Organic cotton compared with typical cotton </h3><p id="">There are a few differences between organic cotton and typical cotton. </p><blockquote id="">👉 For cotton to be organic, the&nbsp;main points it must hit is that it cannot be genetically modified, and it must not be sprayed with synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. </blockquote><p id="">For the most part, organic cotton is more sustainable than typical cotton, being that it is a more natural crop that interacts better with its environment. </p><p id="">The title of “organic” exists to inform the consumer of the overall sustainability of a product. But unfortunately, <strong id="">there are loopholes that farmers can use where they can still call their products “organic” &nbsp;but not necessarily practice sustainable farming</strong>. </p><p id="">For example, there are some fertilizers and pesticides that are on the USDA’s list of organic sprays but &nbsp;are actually still harmful to the environment. Also, the title of organic does not take into account the amount of fossil fuels needed in the production process, such as by a tractor to harvest the crop. &nbsp;</p><p id="">Nonetheless, you can still expect “organic” products to be more sustainable than non-organic, but not necessarily by much. &nbsp;</p><p id="">‍</p><h2 id="">Greenly and sustainability </h2><p id="">If this article has motivated you to take your sustainability more seriously, <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/en-us" id="">contact Greenly</a>. </p><p id="">We can measure the carbon footprint of your business and get you set up with certified carbon offset programs. </p><p id="">‍</p><p>‍</p><p id=""><strong id="">🚀 If you enjoyed reading this article, here are a few more :</strong></p><ul id=""><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/why-is-the-colorado-river-threatened-by-a-water-crisis" id="">Why is the Colorado River Threatened by a Water Crisis?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/us-wildfires-destroy-carbon-offsets" id="">US Wildfires Destroy Carbon Offsets</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/reforestation-our-guide-to-sustainable-companies" id="">Reforestation: Our Guide to Sustainable Companies</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/how-to-implement-a-csr-approach-in-your-company" id="">How to implement a CSR approach in your company</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-en/all-you-need-to-know-about-fast-fashion" id="">All You Need to Know About Fast Fashion</a></li></ul><p>‍</p>

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