...GMO Awareness The people of California and many other states in our country deserve the right to know what is in their food and exactly what they are putting in their bodies. California's proposition 37, states the requirement to label all food products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). It is important to the health of humanity to be aware of the harmful effects of GMO. Unfortunately, due to the dangers of the food they consume, that to them seem ''healthy'' as this Prop did not pass. Even organic food is not safe to eat anymore because there might very well be GMO in it. Why is GMO bad? I believe, in order to improve the culture of humanity and unify a healthy way living there must be a change in notifying people what they are putting into their uninformed bodies. Genetically modified organisms may have benefits that make food look better, taste better, more plump and juicy, or have more color than its original pure form. In order for GMO's to achieve this, the food must be changed in a laboratory by a specialized scientist. Companies portray their product to be all naturally grown and organic, but it's likely that they contain GMO unless there is a label saying there is no GMO. GMO's harmful effects that people need to be aware of are increase in toxicity, decreased nutrition, new allergens, cancer, and tumors. For example, Monsanto is the world's leading producer of GMO and scientists there have discovered cancer in their lab rats after the consumption...
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...GMO: Genetically Modified What? When you spot a food item that is labeled a “GMO”, do you know what that means? There are many people who don’t know what the abbreviated term means or even what it is, but simply it stands for “genetically modified organism”, in this case: genetically modified food. This means that much of the food consumed regularly has been altered in some way over the course of time. Essentially, it is not made from the earth; it is not classified natural. According to writer Yelena Sukhoterina, “In 38 countries, GM crops are banned on the government level, with the backing of the country’s scientists, doctors, and environmental agencies” (Sukhoterina). However, out of those countries, the United States is not one of them. Currently speaking, there are few select states that are fighting against the big GMO seed corporations, specifically they are fighting to have food labeled whether it is or isn’t GMO free. Today there is a massive controversy with GMOs and whether or not they are beneficial to our health. Although some are ignorant to believe that food is...
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...implementing specific genes from any sort of organism occurring into several public concerns. The major ethical dilemmas and claims by many GMOs’ protesters is that a small handful of companies are re designing the world’s entire food supply by distributing and substituting natural seeds with hybrid ones full of pesticides that can be harmful to humans. One simple example to explain the ethical catches arising with genetically engineered products is to be found when two years ago after a massive earthquake struck on the island of Haiti was followed by Monsanto’s (one of the major GMOs manufacturers) donation of 475 tons of different hybrid seeds mainly of corn and tomatoes. Haitian farmers and peasants promptly responded that such seeds would be burned if entered the Haitian ground. (Bell, 2010) The multiple concerns on the environment and humanity of genetically engineered foods can be summed up in three main, crucial points. First, in order to produce such products, the seeds used are bombed with toxic chemicals that agricultural workers must wear special protective clothing when handling them. Second but foremost, the testing on GMOs has not yet given enough safety assurance for the possible negative effects on humans and agricultural environment. As of today, only 1% of USDA biotech research money goes to risk assessment (Ackerman, 2002), and no GMO product is labeled where four single companies (Syngenta, Dupont, Bayer and Monsanto) own half of the world’s seed. (Bell, 2010) Third...
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...engineering ("Non-Gmo Project", 2015). In recent news, there has been controversy over the use of GMOs. Since the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Flavr Savr tomato for sale on grocery store shelves in 1994, more GMOs has since came on the market (GMOinside, n.d.). Does GMOs have inherent value? INHERENT VALUE Inherent value is a quality attributes to every creature that has a life that matters to it (Regan, 2004). According to DesJardins (2013), inherent value is to have value in and of oneself. Objects with inherent value are ends in themselves, not merely means to some other end (DesJardins, 2013). CONTROVERSY REGARDING GMOs There are two main problems that concern GMOs. GMOs have no boundaries and do not have labels. Once a genetically modified organism is planted they are in risk of contaminating any regular crops planted nearby (The Non-GMO Report, 2005). A survey reports that in the Midwest, where there are millions of acres of GM corn and soybean crops, up to 80% of organic farmers reported direct costs or damages resulting from genetic trespass (The Non-GMO Report, 2005). Unlike the organic food, there is not a GMO-free label on food products. In fact, products are not required by law to state whether or not they contain GMOs. In a world where 92% of the soybean crop is genetically modified and many products use soybean oil or corn syrup the chance of finding GMOs in food is very high (The Non-GMO Report, 2005). All that needs to happen is a GMO crop can...
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...person to live a full life. Imagine if all of the stigmas put on America’s ideas of what health foods are were completely false. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains for example are staple items classified as “healthy” in today’s society. Personally, there have many times when choosing a sala over a greasy hamburger has given a feeling of accomplishment that a healthier choice was made. The fact is that unbeknownst to most of the population that salad contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and in hindsight, may not have been the healthy choice. The US government should have to require all food producers to correctly label all products that contain GMOs to inform the public what they are truly choosing to eat. There has been an unquestioned sense of security that the government and food and drug administration (FDA) are looking out for our best interests, until now. The wool has been over the eyes of many consumers and slowly the truths are being uncovered as to what GMOs are doing to the health of many unaware Americans. Genetically modified organisms, in the most elementary form, are foods that have had specific changes in their DNA to alter the growth patterns and resistance to pathogens. The combination of two (or more) totally unrelated species is against natural scientific theory. The outcome of this biotechnology has no long term diagnosis of potential risks to the health of humans. A good majority of Americans spend a large amount of time and money...
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...genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is one of massive proportions. The technology is revolutionary, yet it also displaces the order of nature with the manipulation and altering of the code of life: DNA. GMO foods are foods that have been genetically modified to produce some desired effect, like pesticide resistance, within crops, plants and animals. As with many artificial goods, when they alters and impacts the natural world and the food chain, they becomes a topic of concern. GMOs are fantastic in terms of health as they are mostly beneficial while bearing little risk. However, while GMOs are a positive force in terms of health, the rest of the technology is primarily negative. They disrupt biodiversity by introducing modified...
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...The debate about Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is one of the worlds most important issues. GMOs are organisms in which the genetic material has been altered for improvement of productivity and product quality. GMOs have raised concerns about whether or not they are resistant to disease, help humans suffering from famine, produce greater yields, and improve the nutrition of foods. Food is required for humans to maintain great health and to survive. It is not secret that GMO foods have spread out rapidly to the whole world. If we can not stop the proliferation of GMOs, we should at least know why they are harmful to our health and how we can prevent it because GMOs are harmful to our health. Also, crops containing GMs lead to vital destruction of the environment and have contaminated organic crops. As well as major companies, which work closely with GMOs, intend to monopolize market foods. lastly how to prevent GMO products from becoming the main source of eating by labeling and informing people of the danger. Most people have eaten GMO based foods at one point or another in their lives. Unfortunately, GMOs will not provide the same food security as most proven organic foods which have been eaten by humans through out history. Despite the danger, GMO products are still on our table. No one can truly guarantee that GMOs’ side effects will not be long-term and continuous. Proving safety is beyond the capability of current technology. Supporters of genetic engineering say that...
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...this question. This essay tries to evaluate both sides of the argument and finally comes to the conclusion that it makes sense for our company to label our genetically modified food products accordingly on a voluntary basis. On one hand, there are the opponents of labelling GMO food who truly believe that because of the long history of genetical engineering in America this practice is not new to consumers and the awareness of some products being genetically modified is already anchored in society. Furthermore, they argue that labelling each and every product as genetically manipulated would not only be a very expensive procedure, but also adding immoderate confusion to consumers. Ultimately, they claim that the average American citizen is not taking a great interest in what ingredients exactly his/her food entails. On the other hand, people in favor of GMO labelling are of the opinion that every customer has the right to know what is inside the product that he/she is buying in grocery stores. Moreover, the proponents argue that even though not everybody might care about whether food has been genetically modified, the ultimate decision should be left with the customer and therefore a label on each GMO product is necessary. According to them there is substantial evidence of potential health issues that may be caused by genetically changed products and a lot of research would be required for consumers to find out which product could be detrimental to their health. I truly...
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...Genetically Modified foods - Evils or Friends Genetically Modified Foods (or GM foods) are produced from organisms in which specific changes are introduced into their DNA through the methods of genetic engineering. Genetically Modified crops are available commercially since 1994. Majority of the gene modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops which are in high demand such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These crops have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and better nutrient profiles (Wikipedia). According to an article by author Robert Shields, more than 26 percent of the cotton, 40 percent of the soybean acreage in the US was planted with GM crops containing gene for herbicide resistance by the year 1998. The application of Agri-biotechnology has increased by 60 fold since 1996 and by 2015 it is predicted that in about 40 countries more than 200 million hectares of lands will be planted by biotech crops (Maghari 1). The invention of agricultural biotechnology has caused social and ethical contradictions. There are extensive debates active in scientific circles as to how modern biotechnology can be used for planting high quality of high yield crops to meet the challenge of feeding the ever increasing population while protecting the ecosystem and human health. Genetically Modified Foods (GM Foods) have made a big splatter in the news lately. Environmental organizations and public interest groups have been actively protesting...
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...GMOS GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, have been around for about 40 years now. A genetically modified organism is a plant or animal whose genes or “DNA” have been modified in such a way that the product is not naturally found in nature or through natural cross-breeding. Traditionally, the genes with the desired characteristic are introduced to the genes of the plant/animal that is being genetically modified. This results in a plant that is very similar to the original, but contains varying amounts of genetic change. Many GMOs have been modified in such a way that they can withstand a certain kind of herbicide, or survive certain kinds of harsh climate conditions; while others have been modified so that they can produce a certain kind of pesticide to ward off would-be crop killing insects. Through these modifications genetically modified organisms are touted as lasting longer, and producing more abundant crop yields. Also, organisms that have undergone modification require fewer pesticides, water, and reduce production costs for crops used for food, such as soybeans, corn, and sugar beets (www.factsaboutgmos.org). According to the USDA, the most common kinds of GMOs are corn, cotton, and soybeans, but a variety of foods can be found in your local supermarket that have been genetically modified, and according to the Non-GMO Project, up to 80% of processed foods in the United States contain food items that are genetically modified. The issue as to whether or not...
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...in our foods today. The debate over Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are starting to become more of a hot topic and is now not a secret that GMO-ed foods have spread out rapidly to the whole world. Government officials should take the proper steps to ensure our countries safety and not allow GMO’s in our foods today, and if it is needed, labeling should be mandatory. Even though it is banned in other countries, our government is still allowing the United Stated to continue with GMO cropping and without labeling it. We should know why it is harmful to our health and how we can prevent it. GMOs could cause health issues, create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. First, GMOs are harmful to our health. Second, these crops can lead to contaminated organic crops, and serious destruction of the environment, which could also lead to toxins and allergens surrounding us. Third, there are some companies that intend to monopolize market-foods, which work with GMOs. Finally, labeling should be a very important factor in the GMO industry, to ensure people would recognize how dangerous GMO’s are for us. GMOs are special organisms in which the genetic material has been altered for improvement productivity and product quality. First, Research and studies show that GMOs could be very harmful. Through manipulating our crops our health is at a serious risk. “Numerous health problems increased after GMOs were introduced in 1996. The percentage of Americans with three or...
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...Foods; Choosing Organic Choose the Best Farmers are the main source of food production within the US, as the country’s population begins to grow; a concern arises. Will the farmers be able to produce enough food to feed all the mouths? According to Monsanto (producer of genetically modified seeds) and biotech food scientists’ the answer is no. As scientist research and move genes from one organism to another, they develop GMOs. The resulted product, GMO seed, are being introduced to farmers as a crop enhancer and pesticide to accommodate the rapidly growing countries need for a larger food supply. Modern genetic engineering is the ability to identify and splice genes from one kind of organism into the DNA of another. Modern genetic engineering as altered agriculture forever. Splicing and cross-pollinating have been and currently are the two most commonly used methods when growing GMO filled crops. Ingesting the genetically altered foods versus the all-natural foods (containing no built in pesticides) is a choice we, as a country, should not have to make. GMOs Genetically modified...
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...“WALMART’S SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY” Wal-Mart developed a new sustainability strategy to deal with the environmental issues the company caused. The strategy based on the efforts to develop and implement goals of zero waste, selling sustainable products and using 100 percent renewable energy. With this strategy the company not only aimed to resolve the problem of paying fines to state and federal regulators for its environmental damage but also change its bad reputation among customers. The company also realized its sustainability strategy creates cost advantages and this should turn out an opportunity to maintain its lower price strategy. Customers’ reactions to Wal-Mart’s new sustainability strategy showed that low or middle class consumers’ expectations are not limited to purchase only low price products; they are also willing to buy green, sustainable ones when they find them in affordable prices. This was a sign that Walmart is on the right track. Today’s business practice of Walmart needs to transform more -through quick wins which are actions that makes business sense based on available technologies, products and processes; innovation projects which base on emerging technologies, processes, and innovation; big game challenge which is a way to lead the market works for sustainability, not against it- to complete its sustainable pathway successfully and reach the sustainable business practices level. In this way, they should identify opportunities to develop supply chain...
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...How Genetically Modified Foods Affect Our Lives In recent years, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have replaced our diet with genetically altered foods, which have adversely affected human health as well as local communities. Being resistant to pesticides, GMOs are created by splicing genes of different species that are combined through genetic engineering (GE), something that is impossible to do in nature (The Non-GMO Project). Consuming these genetically altered and more processed foods can lead to increased risk of diseases and even cancer (Genetically Modified Food). Most of the time we do not even realize that we are eating these harmful toxins as they are infused in our food without our knowledge (Label GMOs). The farmers that maintain the traditional farming practices and choose to grow organic produce over crops that are GE are constantly trying to keep their businesses alive. Larger corporations, however, who choose to use genetically modified (GM) seeds, make larger profits with less time and effort involved. Choosing to buy local organic produce over crops that contain genetically modified organisms can not only help you stay healthy, but also keep our local farmers in business so that they may continue to grow their crops the way nature intended. Living in the Bay Area we are extremely fortunate to have access to all sorts of organic fruits and vegetables that are grown right in our own backyard. There are countless farms in California that can grow just...
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...An Introduction to the topic of GMOs Ruby Gutierrez Adventist University of Health Sciences Abstract GMOs are a promising and exciting revolution in agriculture. The technology, if safe, could allow humanity to make hunger a thing of the history. On the other hand a technology as powerful as GMOs also has the potential of changing our lives and ecosystems irreversibly. This paper is a basic introduction into the topic of genetically modified organisms and the concerns consumers and advocates around the world have about this technology, its approval, and future impact in the environment and societies around the world. Keywords: GMOs, FDA, agriculture, Monsanto, patents, corruption, environment. GMOs: An Introduction We live in an area where the acquisition of knowledge is only a few keystrokes away for any given subject. The pace at which new technologies are developed and become obsolete is unprecedented. Each new invention brings the hope and promise of a better tomorrow, an improved tomorrow. One of these revolutionary technologies are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Companies that produce GMOs offer the technology as the answer to at least two of our most pressing issues, sustainable agriculture and world hunger. Both issues speak to one of humanity’s most basic biological needs, food. In effect, anything that affects this need should be treated with importance and urgency, because of the essential nature of food for human existence. ...
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