想要對環境盡一份心力嗎？停止使用棉花產品！ (是的，甚至是有機棉產品都一樣)
根據歷史紀錄，棉花是世界上最早的非糧食但被大量耕作的作物，早就7,000年前就已經有耕作的紀錄。令人驚訝經過千百年未變的是，棉花仍然是衣物、寢具用品，和其他織物最常使用的材質。讓人更驚訝的是，很多紡織替代品往往比棉花本身更具吸收性、透氣性、低過敏性。
為什麼我們提到這些? 因為大部分人不知道-棉花這個再普通不過的材質可以對環境造成嚴重的破壞。
1. 無處不在的農藥 棉花對許多昆蟲來說是優質的食物來源-這也是為什麼農民被迫使用大量的農藥種植棉花，以抵抗昆蟲，如棉籽象鼻蟲、蚜蟲、黏蟲等的侵害。 以印度為例，儘管棉花僅占農業總面積的5%，但用於棉花田的用藥卻佔全國農藥總使用量的一半。 由於健康風險，許多已開發國家已經禁止使用許多農藥，但是印度和巴基斯坦等開發中國家仍再使用，導致農田中的有毒物質混合物會隨著飲用水影響當地居民，進而誘發病變。
2. 沒有水，更多問題 2015年聯合國的一份報告預測，如果我們不對當前的用水習慣做出重大改變，那麼，在接下來的短短十五年間，我們將只能滿足全世界60%的用水需求。 人類社會許多超量的用水習慣都可以追溯到棉花生產，根據世界野生動物基金會，每生產一公斤棉花就需要使用20,000公升的水(大約相當於生產一條牛仔褲或T恤所需要使用的水量)。 更具體一點，您可以嘗試連續92.6天(2,222小時)，都用水淋浴，這樣的水量就相當於製作一件T恤的棉花產量所需要用掉的水。
3. 土地退化與森林流失棉花是一年生作物，每年都需要重新種植，每次耕作都從土地吸收養分，這也意味著，每年農夫在播種之前，都必須要先對土壤施肥。
這樣導致的問題是，農藥及肥料將注入附近的水源，使有毒化學物質汙染水的生態系統。
另一個鮮為人知的後果是土地產能下降，在貝南共和國等其他西非國家，當地農民沒有足夠的肥料來維持土地的營養完整性，結果，農民在耗盡土地效能之後只好放棄土地，清理其他林地，以種植更多棉花。
有機棉是生態友好的選擇嗎？
很不幸的是，在棉花前面加上「有機」一詞恐怕對環境的幫助不大，最主要是因為有機棉的產量要低得多，因此比傳統棉花需要更多的土地及資源。
例如：棉花產業研究機構Cotton Inc估計，生產單件T恤所需的棉花大概需要用掉1097公升的水資源，為了種植相同數量的有機棉花，農民需要使用高達2498公升的水資源，是傳統棉花的兩倍之多。
如果您在尋求環保素材，「竹」是您最佳的選擇。 竹纖維不僅柔滑如絲，而且對環境也非常友善。
首先，竹子是多年生的作物，這意味農民不需要在每次收穫後都必須重新播種耕種作物。再者，與棉花不同，棉花吸引了大小不一的害蟲，但是竹子這種作物天敵非常少，這不僅減少了農藥和化學肥料的使用，而更能有效保持土壤。
最後，竹子是世界上生長最快的作物，有些品種甚至可以每天生長高達91公分，這不僅意味著竹子的產量可以很大(對農民來說是個好消息)，而且竹子還可以大量吸收二氧化碳，以減緩全球暖化。
相反地，棉花是耗水密集型、土地密集型及化學密集型的作物，可是既然棉花缺點多多，為什麼我們仍然在使用棉花？一個很大的原因是一般社會大眾對棉花缺乏了解，以及持續的市場需求。只要人們持續購買棉質產品，市場及產業鏈就會持續供應。
改變一個習慣，反而能拯救我們的環境與地球。想試試看用竹纖維製成的環保寢具組嗎? 來看看Uppik的寢具及其他竹纖維產品，我們相信您一定會找到您滿意的產品！
Want to help the environment? Stop buying cotton. (Yes, even organic cotton)
Cotton is the world’s earliest non-food domesticated crop, domesticated as early as 7,000 years ago, according to the archaeological record.
And it seems old habits really do die hard — today, cotton remains the most commonly used material for clothing, bedding, and other fabrics.
This is especially surprising, considering the fact that alternatives are more absorbent, breathable, and hypoallergenic than cotton.
Even worse, the global cotton industry is wreaking havoc on the world environment.
1. Pesticides Everywhere
Cotton is an especially delightful treat for many insects — which is why farmers are forced to drench their cotton fields with pesticides in order to ward off the appetites of pests such as boll weevils, aphids, and armyworms.
In India, for example, cotton accounts for half of total national pesticide use, even though it only occupies 5% of total agricultural area.
To make matters worse, many pesticides that have been banned in developed nations due to proven health risks are still used freely in developing nations such as India and Pakistan. As a result, the agricultural runoff from these fields is often a potent mix of toxic chemicals that poison nearby water sources and can cause illness among local residents.
2. No Water, More Problems
A 2015 UN report predicts that in just 15 years we’ll only have enough water to meet 60% of global water demand if we don’t make dramatic changes to current water consumption habits.
Much of human society’s irresponsible water consumption habits can be traced back to cotton production. The World Wildlife Foundation reports that it takes 20,000 liters of water to grow just one kilogram of cotton (about as much as is needed to produce a single pair of jeans or T-shirt).
To put that into perspective, you could continuously shower for 92.6 days (2,222 hours) with the water used to make your cotton T-shirt (assuming you’re using a highly water-efficient showerhead).
3. Land Degradation and Forest Loss
Cotton is an annual crop that needs to be replanted every year and saps nutrients from the land with each harvest. This means farmers need to pump fertilizers into the soil before they can plant the next cotton harvest.
One resulting problem is that agricultural run-off will enter nearby water sources, poisoning water ecosystems with toxic chemicals.
Another lesser-known consequence is that of under-fertilization. In Benin and other West African nations, farmers don’t have sufficient fertilizer to maintain the nutritional integrity of their soil. As a result, farmers will simply abandon land after it has been exhausted and clear forest land to grow more cotton.
Is Organic Cotton an Eco-Friendly Option?
Unfortunately, putting the word “organic” in front of cotton means little in terms of environmental sustainability. This is mostly because the yields of organic cotton are much lower, and therefore require more land and resources than their conventional counterparts.
For example, Cotton Inc — a research group that serves the cotton industry — estimates that it takes about 290 gallons (~2000 liters) of water to grow conventional cotton for a single t-shirt. To grow the same amount of cotton organically, farmers would need a whopping 660 gallons (~2,500 liters) — more than twice as much.
If You’re Looking for Eco-Friendly, Bamboo Is Your Best Bet
Bamboo fabrics are not only silky smooth, they’re also infinitely better for the environment.
First, bamboo is perennial, which means you don’t have to till the soil and replant the crop after each harvest. Second — unlike cotton, which attracts the appetites of pests large and small — bamboo has very few natural enemies. This not only cuts down on pesticides and fertilizers, it also holds the soil in place and helps prevent erosion.
Finally, bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing plant, with some species growing a whopping 91 cm per day. Not only does this mean bamboo yields are monumental (good news for farmers), but it can also serve as a useful tool against climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in its biomass.
In contrast, cotton is water-intensive, land-intensive, and chemical-intensive. So why do we still use it? A huge reason boils down to a lack of awareness and continuous demand for cotton. As long as people keep buying cotton sheets, the market will keep providing.
Interested in trying bamboo sheets on for size? Check out Uppik’s bedding and towel selection. We’re sure you’ll find something that will tickle your fancy.