...Thesis: A great deal of controversy has arisen over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Genetically Modified Food, especially surrounding the production, sale, and consumption of genetically modified foods. Many people are concerned that the consumption of GMO foods may pose serious health risks. The concern is centered on the notion that there could potentially be various different unforeseen consequences due to the consumption of GMO foods. This paper will explore historical development and the effects of GMO on society and technology. Genetically modified organisms ( GMO’s) is a term most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest biotechnology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming. Genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. Intro: I. Introduction a. Major effects of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on today’s world( Victor) 1. Health Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup 2. Significant...
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...The Innovation Pandemic: Society quest for real time solutions Parish M. Kaleiwahea Wayland Baptist University Abstract The Innovation Pandemic: Society quest for real time solutions When one thinks of a business with information technology (IT) flair, Wal-Mart is probably not on the top of anyone’s list of companies leading the way of innovation transformation. However, for 45 years this retail giant has reinvented IT retail model for an evolving digital economy. Today in order to survive a global economy companies must embrace and invest in latest information systems infrastructure in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Wal-Mart’s commitment to enhance their technology by integrating traditional and e-commerce retail innovation by using the most advanced technology to enhance the retail empire. As profits continued to reap into Wal-Mart, its commitment to improve data communication systems for their company remained a priority. While other companies contemplate spending money on new innovative technology, Wal-Mart continues to dedicate itself to implement many computerized solutions such as instituting a uniform product code (UPC) system as its electronic scanning barcode tool (Wang, 2006). Innovation is a tough concept for people to wholeheartedly to embrace because it comes with all types of unknowns. Companies like Wal-Mart took a huge financial risk, but eventually stuck to their strategic vision to embrace and forge ahead in the technology era. However...
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...Transgenic Crops Summary Technology has been a big part of our lives, and as it increases, new innovations are introduced. Agricultural innovation plays a key role in agricultural productivity. One such agricultural innovation, transgenic crops--otherwise known as genetically modified crops--is one of the most important issues in today’s society, raising a concern of whether the innovation is good or bad. Vern Grubinger, author of the article “Concerns about Transgenic Crops,” affirms that transgenic crops are created when genes are artificially inserted into a plant from another species, instead of the plant acquiring them by itself. According to the article “The Good, Bad, and Ugly about GMOs” written by Quinn Wendland, there are many positive and negative aspects regarding the production of transgenic crops. Wendland discusses some of the positive aspects of transgenic crops, which include a decrease in pesticide and herbicide use, a rapid increase in crop productivity to reduce world hunger, improvements in the nutritive value of crops to combat malnutrition, inexpensive production of medicine, and a reduction in the use of fossil fuel. However, production of transgenic crops comes with many possible risks. Genetically engineered genes introduced into wild plants could reduce biodiversity and create super-weeds (Grubinger 1). Transgenic crops can interfere with the natural environment. Contamination of organic farms and food can occur. In the article “Can a Growing World...
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...Monsanto Case Study Liberty University Business 472-D02 Introduction Monsanto has a long and varied history having been founded in 1901. It started by selling the sweetener saccharine to Coca-Cola, transformed itself into a chemical manufacturer, plastics, rubbers, and packaging (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013, p.382-383). Fast forward to the late 20th and early 21st century and Monsanto is the worldwide leader in genetically modified (GM) food seeds. Through these various incarnations Monsanto has run into its share of ethical problems that has cost it some hard earned trust of governing bodies and consumers worldwide, but continues to prosper none the less. Monsanto has a very fine line to walk in keeping the highest ethical standards, finding ways to continuously innovate products that help to feed the world, and do this causing the absolute minimum damage to the environment at large as well as animals. All this must be done and still produce a profit that shareholders demand. Monsanto and the Culture of its Ethics Monsanto has a long history of ethical business violations that has resulted in fines from a multitude of American and International governmental agencies. The company has had issues with some of its products dating back to the 1940’s. Brian Tokar lists a string of products manufactured by Monsanto such as Dioxin, Agent Orange, Roundup, and others that has caused the company more than a headache or two. In reference to a train derailment and subsequent...
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...genetically modified. An example of this food product is chicken. Some argue that GMO chickens are healthier and have higher production in the country, but there's obviously many health dangers to eating genetically modified chickens and chickens that are fed with GMO ingredients. Genetically modified chicken has a negative effect on society consumption due to the chemicals being forced into these organisms. This causes the chickens to enhance their appearance to be deprived from a healthy life and risk the lives of those who consume then. One of the dangers of genetically modified chickens is the hormones that are pumped into them in order to make them plumper and bigger and grow at a more faster rate. They are tube-fed a lot of different of antibiotics and growth hormones in large doses, which causes health problems. According to PETA, The average breast of an 8-week-old chicken is seven times heavier today than it was 25 years ago. (“The Chicken Industry." 2014.) The exceeding gain in weight...
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...There is nothing more valuable than a person’s health. It is a topic of many conversations, and the very thing that can prohibit or allow a 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...
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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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...be waking up to an alarm clock, watching TV that you recorded on a digital video recorder, brushing your teeth with a mechanical toothbrush, or using your GPS navigation system when going to your latest vacation destination. The latest technology has made it possible for people to communicate with others all over the world in both audio and video formats. Scientists are continuously looking for ways to make living easier and more productive. They are looking for solutions to world hunger, new medical advances to cure cancer and other diseases plaguing the world, and ways to make our society a healthier place to live. In this research paper, we will be discussing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and their contributions to these causes. We will be examining the history, political, moral, ethical, and many other ways that GMOs have influenced everyday living. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)...
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...GMOs, They’re Killing Me! Recently someone said that 70% of the foods sold from our grocery store shelves contain Genetically Modified Organisms. This is extremely alarming because GMOs are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations cannot occur in nature or in traditional cross breeding (“Non GMO Project”). Obesity, chronic disease, and food allergies have skyrocketed in the United States over the past two decades. Many people think it is due to poor eating and exercise habits. While a portion of this may be true, the more logical explanation is the fact that corporations have altered the food supply in a way that is harmful to the human body. GMO crops adversely affect human health. Numerous studies have been done recently and even more are currently being conducted around the globe. These studies illustrate the correlation between the introduction of GMOs into the food supply and the increase in health issues. This is such an important issue to literally every human being on the planet. Not all countries are addressing the issue in the same manner. It is crucial to know what the United States is doing as compared to other industrialized nations around the world. There were several reasons that corporations began altering the DNA of seeds. One of those reasons was that GMOs were supposed to reduce the amount of pesticides necessary to keep weeds under control. The...
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...Over the years there has been a major controversy about how safe the United States food supply. For the past decade, many Americans have being diagnosed with terminal diseases such as cancer. In 2012, The American Cancer Society estimated 1,638,910 Americans were diagnosed and 577,190 died. Not only does cancer effect the American population but also foodborne illnesses, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and obesity. Each year about 48 million people get sick from it, 130,000 are hospitalized and about 3,000 die. The big question is how are so many people in today’s world becoming sick with deadly diseases such as cancer and foodborne illnesses. Many believe that it is being put into our food. The Food and Drug Administration also known as the FDA is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Services that is responsible for controlling and regulating the country’s food safety, medicine, tobacco products and more. The U.S. government is killing Americans by allowing the FDA to approve dangerous drugs being put into our food supply....
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...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, coordinate manufacturers and compete with the rivals. Company should find new ways to get greener supply chain with less capital, lower the operating costs and catch more competitive advantages in the market. Even though...
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...We Are What We Eat: A Response to Michael Pollan Griffin Gearhart Goldey-Beacom College Food politics of America: An Elaboration of Michael Pollan’s Six Rules You Quite literally are what you eat, and in today’s society it is becoming harder and harder to be a healthy person. In my own experience growing up in America, it is actually easier to fall victim to an unhealthy diet than to a healthy one. This is because the faster, cheaper, and easier meal options are usually the most unhealthy foods. It requires quite a bit of searching to find healthy food sources and you must be willing to spend substantially more for the higher quality foods. Companies won’t stop selling unhealthy foods until they can’t make profit. American society today requires a shift in health consciousness, if we want to clean up our supermarkets; it starts with supporting healthy food sources. In order to inflict change into the food industry, each one of us must take it upon ourselves to spend the extra effort to become healthy individually and as a society. So, be careful out there America, today’s food landscape is a minefield of unhealthy food options that can lead to very real health consequences. In his essay “Six Rules for Eating Wisely,” published in Time, food activist Michael Pollan (2006) argues that Americans are faced with an “increasingly treacherous landscape of food choices” (para. 1) driven by the food industry’s $36 billion marketing efforts. As a result, Pollan believes that...
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...All human beings have a moral obligation to animals. Do animals have rights? This is a the question that many in our society disagrees on. It is my opinion that humans have an ethical and moral obligation to treat animals in a humane way. The argument for animal rights or adding them to a worldwide blacklist would mean: We should not exploit animals no matter what the cost to humanity would be, even if it’s done in a humane way. Breeding and raising animals to slaughter houses for food is in-humane. Unfortunately since life began it’s always been the survival of the fittest. But, don’t animals such as farm animals deserve respect and be to able to have some rights? In today’s society because of our economic system, farmers will cut corners on many things to be more efficient, but by cutting costs other issues have risen; such as meat with the e-coli bacteria because of antibiotic resistance to killing germs. There’s an epidemic of DNA altered GMO produced foods from large farming corporations called CAFO, the animals mainly are grain-fed and raised in poor, inadequate overcrowded feedlots, to produce mass amounts of food partially since the start of NAFTA in 1994. Over the years many people wanted to boycott these types of farming practices and some have gone as far to sue, but it is hard to put these large farming corporations out of business because of the financial backing they receive. Many times the CAFO’s will even open a libel counter suit against them that...
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...Whitney Summers Ms. Wert English 101 H December 3, 2012 Genetic Engineering Just imagine the scene: and newlywed wife and husband are sitting down with a catalog, browsing joyously, pointing and awing at all the different options, fantasizing about all the possibilities that could become of their future. Is this a catalog for new furniture? No. This catalog for all features, phenotype and genotype, for the child they are planning to have. It is basically a database for parents to pick and choose all aspects of their children, from the sex of the child, to looks, and even to personality traits. Parents since the beginning of time have “planned” to have children, but never have they been able to legitimately “plan” out their child. This scene does not seem typical for our time and age, but truthfully it is what is becoming of our world. Through substantial research and experimentation that is taking place, scientists, specifically biologists, are becoming keener to the field of engineering; Genetic engineering that is. When one thinks of “genetic engineering,” the first thought is probably a perfect child, or paradoxically some inconceivable creature, forged under the microscope in a scientific laboratory. Though both of these are genetic engineering, many people do not consider other things, such as genetic engineering of agriculture and medicine, both of which are extremely useful. Through the genetic altering of plants and crops, scientists have been able to manipulate...
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...Genetically Modified Organisms Group E- Chrystalyn Northcutt-Warden LAS 432- Technology, Society & Culture Kira Leavens DeVry University December 7, 2013 Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Political Influences Economic Questions and Considerations Psychological Affects Moral and Ethical Implication Conclusion Works Cited Appendix Abstract Introduction The Hunger Games trilogy dwells upon genetic modification. With genetically engineered animals such as the jabberjay, mockingjay, tracker jacker and wolf mutts, monkey mutts and even genetically engineered roses, the trilogy explores the ethics and consequences of toying with Nature. This paper will discuss the pros and cons of genetically modified organisms. Also the economic, psychological effect on society as well as the moral and ethical implications that this technology can have on today’s society. History Genetically modified organisms have continually been around but have recently evolved and came to light in the past 10 years. Genetically modified organisms are described as “An organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered by the insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism using the techniques of genetic engineering (www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com, 2013).” genetically modified organism (GMO) is used to refer to any microorganism, plant, or animal in which genetic engineering techniques have been used to introduce, remove, or modify specific parts...
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