1) Remember when you were a tour guide for an Alien? The Alien is back and wants to understand what a
GMO is. Explain this information to the Alien.
A GMO is a genetically modified food. Genetically modified food means that products such as plants, bacteria and animals are injected with what could be considered a steroid. The injection increases the rate of production for these goods. In the 21st century people are more interested in the amount and the look of the food they’re eating. “Technologies for genetically modifying foods offer dramatic promise for meeting some of the 21st Century's greatest challenges. Like all new technologies, they also pose some risks, both known and unknown” (http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml).
2) State the controversy associated with GMO’s.
Since GMO’s do not have to be listed on the products that have these hormones in them it increases the risk of people eating unhealthy foods. Although America is all about producing the best product the fastest way, GMO’s are not always the greatest decision. GMO’s do have their benefits because they decrease the amount of pesticides and CFO’s that are extracted into the earth and the environment. In Europe GMO’s are banned from their products. Europe is smart by doing this because they would rather have all healthy products. In an article Europe discusses why they are going to continue to avoid using GMO’s. “The Parliament's report seeks to provide member states with "a solid legal basis" for banning GM crop cultivation, and to give them better legal protection in the event of challenges from trading partners opposed to bans”(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/06/europe-gm-crop-bans). Europe wants to ban GMO’s and make sure that the people of Europe will not be eating this kind of food.
3) Are people’s reactions to GMO’s different in various regions of the world?
Explain with references.
Yes people’s reactions are different in conutries all over the world. Even in the United States not every person is for GMO’s, which is why there has been an increase in farmers markets and organic food. The reason people are choosing organic and farmers markets over food with GMO’s are because GMO’s do not have to be listed on foods that are in grocery stores. It is believed that in America people do not want to read extra labeling because it confuses them. “Extra labeling only confuses the consumer," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "It differentiates products that are not different. As we stick more labels on products that don't really tell us anything more, it makes it harder for consumers to make their choices”( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803808.html). This is not an appropriate way of producing food because it is false advertisement. People in America are consuming GMO’s and don’t even realize it, while in Europe GMO’s are completely banned so that minimizes their exposure to GMO’s.
4) What’s your reaction to this topic? Explain with references.
GMO’s are a way of falsely producing food for people worldwide. If I knew that GMO’s were contained in most of the food I eat, I would begin to buy organic foods to decrease the risk of eating these hormones. The fact that the government tries to avoid controversy with GMO’s shows that they are obviously unhealthy. If these GMO’s are good for us they would be stated on the manufactured product. The FDA does not feel that it is necessary to label these kinds of food because American’s will become more confused. “The FDA defends its approach, saying it is simply following the law, which prohibits misleading labels on food. And the fact that a food, in this case salmon, is produced through a different process, is not sufficient to require a label”(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803808.html). Americans should be aware that the food they are eating is genetically altered.
5) Can GMO’s be changed? Should they be changed? Explain with references.
Yes, GMO’s can be changed and by changing them more people should start to focus more on buying their
foods from organic or farmers markets. GMO’s should not be contaminating our foods. Although, most people do not even realize there are GMO’s in their products they can be detrimental to our health. GMO’s like in Europe should be banned from our country. The only people that benefit from GMO’s are the producers and the people selling the goods. “These GMOs are key targets for critics and general unease among Europeans. Several EU states, therefore, invoked a safeguard clause or national decrees to prevent their cultivation on their territories”( http://www.euronews.net/2010/07/13/gmos-divide-europe/). People are at unease for GMO’s because they don’t seem to have any benefit to the consumers.
6) While reading "
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-basics/the-ge-process
This website increased my knowledge of how the process of GMO’s is used. GMO’s. “Because living organisms have natural barriers to protect themselves against the introduction of DNA from a different species, genetic engineers must force the DNA from one organism into another”. Anything that is being forced into another animal, plant, etc. should not be done. Replicating DNA is creating identical products of one another but they are only a clone and could possibly not have the same benefits that an organic fruit would have.
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/dangers-to-the-environment
This website talked about the toxics of GMO’s and how farmers try to make sure that nothing is cross pollinated. Crosspollination means two plants come in contact with each other and they don’t always have a positive impact. Some farmers try as hard as possible to stop crosspollination. “No one knows what might happen if DNA containing pharmaceutical properties are spread to wild plants.” Pharmaceutical properties are what GMO’s are contained with, they can be misleading and many people do not realize that they are using GMO’s.
7) Typing out the exact quote from any of the readings (and referencing it) list one powerful statement that you read.
Put the statement in context and explain why this statement was powerful enough to remember. (What made you react to this information?)
"Extra labeling only confuses the consumer," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "It differentiates products that are not different. As we stick more labels on products that don't really tell us anything more, it makes it harder for consumers to make their choices."( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803808.html)
This quote stood out to me because the FDA believes that extra labels are confusing to Americans. Most Americans have somewhat of an education and almost all Americans know how to read. The FDA comes up with an inexcusable answer as to why we don’t know when GMO’s are in our food. This quote angered me because the FDA will come up with any excuse to not have GMO’s labeled. If GMO’s benefit us then they surely would be labeled. Not labeling GMO’s shows that they are not safe and should not be injected into any of our foods.
References
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803808.html
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/dangers-to-the-environment
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-basics/the-ge-process
http://www.euronews.net/2010/07/13/gmos-divide-europe/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803808.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/06/europe-gm-crop-bans)
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml
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