| With increasing popularity of organic/green products, | | | | printing methods that may prevent the use of low |
| there has been a rapid expansion in the number and | | | | impact dyes and inks. |
| variety of green companies. In terms of consumer | | | | It's apparent that reducing chemical standards in |
| sales, the most appealing merchandise is produced | | | | organic agriculture, purchasing and manufacturing |
| from pesticide-free organic agriculture. | | | | organic apparel abroad, or using less expensive toxic |
| The organic farming industry must follow regulations | | | | dyes and inks can destroy everything the organic label |
| established by the Organic Foods Production Act. Not | | | | stands for in the organic food and clothing industry. |
| only are there restrictions for synthetic pesticides but | | | | When economic pressures confront responsible ethical |
| also synthetic fertilizers. With restricted use of these | | | | commitments, how do green companies resolve or |
| chemicals that control pests and promote plant growth, | | | | compromise their goals in such conflicts? How do they |
| increasing crop production is limited to a variety of | | | | choose between alternatives that have negative |
| traditional farming practices. These include crop | | | | consequences no matter what they decide? |
| rotation, the use of natural predators and pesticides | | | | Should the federal government intervene and support |
| and natural fertilizers. Many of us use these methods in | | | | the popular green industry when Congress already has |
| our home gardens. But when organic farming | | | | many higher priorities? Today, these priorities range |
| becomes a business, crop yield is a critical economic | | | | from energy independence, to health care, to social |
| factor. | | | | security, to defense spending, to bailing out financial |
| In organic agriculture, the farming system works well | | | | institutions and major corporations. In comparison, the |
| but crop production or net product yield has some | | | | green industry seems small and not a high priority. |
| limitations in comparison to inorganic agribusiness. | | | | However, depending on how you define green, green |
| Today, with rising costs including salaries and benefits | | | | commerce in the US is very substantial, quite |
| to workers, profits are dropping in organic farming. | | | | diversified and growing rapidly despite economic |
| Of course, organic agriculture has provided the | | | | concerns. Yet the industry still addresses a common |
| foundation for the emergent organic food and clothing | | | | goal and top federal priorities.The definition of a green |
| industries. Organic food sales have been growing | | | | product doesn't require it to be organic. There are |
| about 20% per year and organic fiber or clothing at | | | | many companies that provide inorganic products but |
| about 15% per year (Organic Trade Association). | | | | are still considered green. These businesses are green |
| However, limited crop yields are making it more | | | | because they all support a common goal of preserving |
| expensive to produce organic food and fiber. Some of | | | | our environment by diminishing energy demands and |
| these costs are being passed on to related organic | | | | carbon consumption. In general they help reduce our |
| companies that are now facing similar financial | | | | "carbon footprint" (consumption of carbon based |
| concerns. "Green compromises" are now being | | | | natural resources). |
| considered to reduce this economic burden. | | | | For example, the green energy industry provides us |
| The preceding discussion illustrates the difficult ethical | | | | with environmentally sound alternatives to using fossil |
| and economic conflicts for organic companies who by | | | | fuels. Consumption of carbon based fossil fuels results |
| definition have ethical goals. Lobbying congress to | | | | in environmental degradation, release of greenhouse |
| review the Organic Foods Production Act and | | | | gases, and a huge increase in our carbon footprint. |
| redefine the chemical requirements of "organic" is an | | | | The alternative energy industry includes wind, |
| option for the agriculture industry. But lowering | | | | geothermal, and solar energy. Certainly they address |
| standards would deface the value of the organic label. | | | | two of the highest priorities for the United States |
| Similar economic and ethical conflicts are confounding | | | | ...protecting the environment and achieving energy |
| the commerce of the organic food and clothing | | | | independence. |
| industries. | | | | Resolving economic and ethical conflicts for any |
| Organic apparel has no legislative restrictions as | | | | corporation is a challenging task. This is especially true |
| compared to organic agriculture or food. Essentially, | | | | for the green industry due to their ethical commitment |
| everything is based on voluntary compliance with | | | | to the environment and the public. The long term |
| industry standards set by industry/consumer | | | | prognosis for resolving this problem and maintaining the |
| organizations. | | | | integrity of the organic label is unclear and depends in |
| Without legal guidelines, organic clothing companies | | | | part on the course of our economy |
| have described their products as ethical fashion, | | | | However, some organic apparel companies have set |
| conscientious clothing or simply eco-friendly. Many of | | | | a new standard for initiative by searching for an |
| these businesses call their apparel eco-friendly based | | | | additional no cost approach to promote rather than |
| on their use of low impact dyes and inks. They also | | | | compromise their ethical standards. Working |
| have used the term "sweatshop free" guaranteeing | | | | independently, these companies actually came up with |
| safe working conditions and fair salaries for their | | | | the same innovative method to sustain their green |
| workers. Sadly, these conditions are not always | | | | missions. They use their organic clothing to address |
| present overseas. | | | | ethical principles and environmental responsibility. |
| Profits are being reduced with more expensive organic | | | | Live Life Organics, a Baltimore green company, is an |
| cotton, hemp, bamboo etc. In order to maintain | | | | online retailer of organic cotton apparel. They provide |
| eco-friendly standards these expenses might be | | | | an easy example of how this method is implemented |
| passed on to the consumer. However, higher retail | | | | by their design and production team. They simply |
| prices in a slumping economy could still reduce sales | | | | display inspirational messages on all their clothing |
| and profits. In that case clothing companies could turn | | | | designs. They trust their positive messages will |
| to organic agriculture overseas with uncertain working | | | | encourage positive thinking and an ethical lifestyle of |
| conditions and questionable product standards. Each | | | | responsibility to our planet and fellow man. |
| clothing company must resolve their own ethical | | | | When confronted with economic or political problems |
| economic conflicts and select what they believe is the | | | | we can't control, we all need to think about alternative |
| "best" course of action. | | | | approaches to achieve our goals. All of us can think of |
| Even if organic clothing production is kept in the US, | | | | different alternatives to reduce our carbon footprint. |
| there are sad economic alternatives to consider along | | | | We can also persuade our elected representatives to |
| with their related ethical concerns. Some apparel | | | | follow an ethical path toward just legislation in the face |
| corporations might consider less expensive dyeing and | | | | of economic and political pressure. |