How does climate change affect the Cotton Industry?
The Australian cotton industry has had a history of changing and adapting to new challenges to improve and develop ideas that have proved to be highly effective, and the issue of global warming is no exception. The Australian cotton industry has already developed a highly efficient and flexible farming systems in order for their crops to survive under inflexible weather conditions. With this, the industry is proud to have much of their consistent efforts in research, development and extension to participate in reproduction responsibly and sustainably.
Cotton farmers rely entirely on the natural environment and the weather to maintain and grow a healthy crop. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the storage of carbon footprint through lessons of cotton farming, has always been the goal for Australian cotton farmers. They were able to achieve the agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions ranging from 0.16-0.29%. The Australian cotton industry still continues further to balance between growing a healthy crop and usage of fuel and energy. They do this by using the latest fuel efficient farming machinery, using alternative sources of nitrogen, implementing other practices to improve soil health, minimising machine operation, use of spraying, using renewable energy and conservation.
The Australian cotton growers relies on the natural environment and the weather to in growth their crop while exposing it with water and sun. The cotton is a type of ‘flora’ continually recurring eternally, basically living for a several years. It originally grows in summer regions and experience climate variability driven by El Nino/La Nina cycles. Over the past years, Australian growers progressively developed highly efficient and flexible farming organisations in order to undertake the development of their crop in variable climates. The commitment and effort in researching, developing, managing made the industries proud.
As good environmental stewards, cotton growers and the cotton industry’s research sector is working to find ways to reduce the industry’s impacts on climate change. This can best be done through greater efficiencies including:
Cotton farmers rely entirely on the natural environment and the weather to maintain and grow a healthy crop. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the storage of carbon footprint through lessons of cotton farming, has always been the goal for Australian cotton farmers. They were able to achieve the agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions ranging from 0.16-0.29%. The Australian cotton industry still continues further to balance between growing a healthy crop and usage of fuel and energy. They do this by using the latest fuel efficient farming machinery, using alternative sources of nitrogen, implementing other practices to improve soil health, minimising machine operation, use of spraying, using renewable energy and conservation.
The Australian cotton growers relies on the natural environment and the weather to in growth their crop while exposing it with water and sun. The cotton is a type of ‘flora’ continually recurring eternally, basically living for a several years. It originally grows in summer regions and experience climate variability driven by El Nino/La Nina cycles. Over the past years, Australian growers progressively developed highly efficient and flexible farming organisations in order to undertake the development of their crop in variable climates. The commitment and effort in researching, developing, managing made the industries proud.
As good environmental stewards, cotton growers and the cotton industry’s research sector is working to find ways to reduce the industry’s impacts on climate change. This can best be done through greater efficiencies including:
- Nitrogen use efficiency
- Alternative sources of nitrogen such as ‘green manure’ legume crops
- Nitrogen loss inhibitors
- Avoiding waterlogging
- Soil management
- Energy use efficiency
- Climate change impacts on cotton growth and development that influence yield and fibre quality will most likely be a result of the net effects of:
- Increases in CO2 concentration;
- Reduced water availability and increased atmospheric evaporative demand as a result of lower rainfall and relative humidity;
- Increases in temperature.
- Keep doors and windows closed when heating or using refrigerative air conditioning
- Turn off lights during recess or lunch
- Use energy efficient lights
- Reduce lunchtime rubbish by using it for compost or recycling
- Buy locally grown produce for lunch
- Reduce carbon emissions by working on getting more students and staff to walk, bike, bus or carpool to school
- Using solar energy for water heating systems
- Look for a good energy star rating when choosing school equipment
- Turn computers off at powerpoint when not in use
- Turn off at powerpoint photocopiers and computer printers outside of school hours
- Recycle paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment, and batteries
- Reduce, reuse and recycle at school or in the classroom by using two-sided printing and copying, buying supplies made with recycled content, and recycling used printer cartridges.