Before the introduction of Bt cotton plants, to combat pests farmers used insecticides and pesticides. In wealthier regions such as Australia more money is available to the farmers and therefore they can afford to use more environmentally friendly insecticides but however for the poorer cotton farmers in other countries, especially Pakistan and India who are major distributers of cotton worldwide, they may not necessarily have enough money to afford the more environmentally friendly insecticides.
Overuse of insecticides and pesticides can often have disastrous environmental effects. Over 98% of sprayed insecticides and pesticides reaches a destination other than the target species including non-targeted plants, the air, water and food. The improper or overuse of pesticides is bad for the environment but even when pesticides are properly administered the environmental damage is often greater than what is intended. Pestcides often contaminate land that was not intened as a target and can often run off into lakes, rivers, creeks etc. some pesticides even contribute to global warming through the depletion of the ozone.
Through Bt Cotton crops the spraying of Insecticides and pesticides is reduced on average by 55%. The environmental benefit of not using as much insecticides than using would’ve been used on traditional cotton crops is massive, especially through the implementation of Bt cotton crops in the poorer cotton growing regions throughout South-East Asia. Washington University in St.Louis/Nick Schoenerr (2011) New Findings in India's Bt Cotton Controversy. Good for the field bad for the farm.(Online) (Updated February 3 2011) Available at: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21842.aspx (Accessed 24 April 2013)
Couple the reduction of pesticide use with the benefit to the environment and you can see why almost all of the world cotton crops are now of the Bt strain. Cotton yields for farmers have gone up on average by 18% with the adoption of the Genetically modified seeds. With all these factors considered Bt Cotton crops are the most environmentally and economically beneficial way to grow cotton
Overuse of insecticides and pesticides can often have disastrous environmental effects. Over 98% of sprayed insecticides and pesticides reaches a destination other than the target species including non-targeted plants, the air, water and food. The improper or overuse of pesticides is bad for the environment but even when pesticides are properly administered the environmental damage is often greater than what is intended. Pestcides often contaminate land that was not intened as a target and can often run off into lakes, rivers, creeks etc. some pesticides even contribute to global warming through the depletion of the ozone.
Through Bt Cotton crops the spraying of Insecticides and pesticides is reduced on average by 55%. The environmental benefit of not using as much insecticides than using would’ve been used on traditional cotton crops is massive, especially through the implementation of Bt cotton crops in the poorer cotton growing regions throughout South-East Asia. Washington University in St.Louis/Nick Schoenerr (2011) New Findings in India's Bt Cotton Controversy. Good for the field bad for the farm.(Online) (Updated February 3 2011) Available at: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21842.aspx (Accessed 24 April 2013)
Couple the reduction of pesticide use with the benefit to the environment and you can see why almost all of the world cotton crops are now of the Bt strain. Cotton yields for farmers have gone up on average by 18% with the adoption of the Genetically modified seeds. With all these factors considered Bt Cotton crops are the most environmentally and economically beneficial way to grow cotton