CSPA Action Alert

from the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations

How much water for one pair of jeans?

"To grow the fiber for one cotton diaper requires 105.3 gallons of water, one T-shirt needs 256.6 gallons of water, one bath towel needs 401.4 gallons of water, a man's dress shirt requires 414.5 gallons of water, and 987 gallons of water are required for one pair of jeans."

And how much does the farmer earn from each? "For one diaper he earns nine cents, for one blouse he earns thirty cents, for bath towel he earns thirty six cents, for one man's shirt he earns thirty six cents, for one pair of jeans he earns ninety cents."

"Cotton is grown primarily in the San Joaquin Valley." "California's cotton acreage represents the 2nd largest planted acreage of any crop in the state. Approximately 80% to 85% of California's high quality cotton lint is exported each year, principally to Pacific Rim countries... "

And for this, we're creating a toxic selenium sump, destroying a world famous commercial fishing industry, poisoning an estuary, driving several species of fish to extinction, ruining a delta farming community, killing an entire sport fishing heritage, wiping out a retail and wholesale fishing supply industry and actually subsidizing the entire cause of the collapse with our taxes. Does that make any sense at all? Ed.