If you have read anything in the news or on the Internet lately, you are probably aware of the growing green movement all over the world.
It's hard to believe that not long ago green theory was dismissed as crackpot, hippie style science.
The fact is that there are many benefits to going green, ones which make sense at both the scientific and common sense levels.
Using materials such as hemp, organic cotton and other crops, and bamboo can have numerous benefits, not only for an individual but for entire populations and the planet as well.
Here are some of the reasons why using organic and green materials is the way to go for everyone.
Individual health Once you realize just how many different chemicals are used to produce the food you grow and the materials from which your clothes are manufactured, you are guaranteed to consider green living a chance.
From fertilizer to pesticides, the staple crops used by the human race are literally saturate with poisons.
In many cases, we all just accept the fact that these poisons are there and that they are dangerous.
We know that pesticides are engineered to kill, and we know that fertilizers are both toxic and corrosive.
And yet, we eat the products grown and sprayed with these materials.
The result? A huge increase in the rate of diseases worldwide, from cancer to suppressed immune systems.
Because we can't get rid of them naturally, these chemicals build up in our bodies, eventually reaching toxic levels.
Whether they are eaten or absorbed through the skin, the end result is always the same, and it means a population that is not as healthy or as long lived as we could be.
Population health Modern mass farming techniques are not only unhealthy for individuals, but also for the populations of some areas.
We all know the impact of mass cotton growing on the history of the United States, and this kind of disregard for human life is enacted every day on the farms and plantations which grow our staple crops.
Not only are our fellow human beings underpaid and overworked, in many cases they are also exposed to the aforementioned poisonous materials used to grow these crops, in concentrated doses.
The result is a shortened life expectancy among these populations, in all parts of the world.
Planet health The more we manipulate our natural systems, the more we reduce Earth's capacity to sustain life, including our own.
Whether it is in using pesticides which build up throughout the food chain or in genetically engineered crops, mass production of our materials is cutting down the adversity necessary for the planet's survival.
Of course, this also means that our own chances of long term survival as a species are lowered.
Science is proving every day that there are ways to gain the materials we need without manipulating the ecosystems and populations of the planet.
Using organic materials means rejecting the poisons used on the crops which are important to us.
In turn, natural populations of plants and animals can grow, thrive, and adapt to conditions, as they have always been meant to do.
Selecting green materials such as bamboo means halting the harmful mass harvesting of our hardwood forests.
Again, the result is greater biodiversity as well as keeping important carbon sinks and oxygen producing forests and their ecosystems intact.
Materials such as hemp and bamboo are just as strong and as aesthetically pleasing as any other, with the added benefit of quick growth, perfect for mass consumption.
It is imperative, for individual health as well as that of the planet, that every individual examines the impact of the materials they use closely.
In every case, using bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, or any other 'green' material means increasing the health of you and your planet, without sacrificing our conveniences.