Farmer’s view: Celebrities Embrace Organic Cotton over GMOs, but is it More Sustainable?
By Michelle Miller, Genetic Literacy Project
In 2016, Hollywood actress Emma Watson was spotted on the red carpet wearing a beautiful gown designed by Calvin Klein in collaboration with the green consultancy Eco-Age. The goal was to create an ensemble that could be worn many ways and was truly environmentally sustainable. A majority of it was made from recycled plastic, while the bodice was made from organic silk and organic cotton.
“Every part of this gown has been produced with sustainability in mind,” Watson said.
Sounds great, right?
Well, not exactly. As a farmer, I sometimes feel like “sustainability” is the current new fashion trend of marketing buzzwords. The dictionary defines it as “conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.” But when conserving natural resources, it’s important to understand what that really means. Let’s talk agriculture, cotton specifically since Watson brought it up. Is organic cotton really better for the environment as she claims?