This unit, Evolving, in our class Food, we discussed the different impacts that genetically engineered organisms have on the Earth, the pros and cons of artificial selection, and the basics of genetics and heredity. I enjoyed getting the chance to discover my own opinions of genetically modified crops, and to research more about the foods that I have to consume everyday.
Did you know that GMOs, genetically modified organisms, are in 90% of our food? Are they really safe for the consumers, the earth and the economy. I think that GMOs have a negative effect on the environment, the economy, and the people growing and eating them. They are likely to cause health problems on the people consuming them, the environment, and help big businesses, while hurting small farms.
GMO foods are more likely to produce foods that cause allergies, and in some cases can create new allergens. They also can cause health problems like obesity, heart disease and some cancers. GMOs are most commonly used in unhealthy processed foods. This makes prices for these foods drop and they become the only foods that people can afford. This raises levels of obesity, diabetes, and death related to heart disease. The most grown GMO crops in the United States are soybeans and corn, which are both most commonly used in processed foods that are not healthy, for the people eating them, and for the Earth. According to a study done by Dr. Nancy Swanson, the correlation between Immune disease, dementia, autism, and hypertension and the rise of genetically engineered crops has a match of over 90%. This means that GMOs could cause some of these diseases. Because GMOs have only been around since the 1980’s, I do not believe that enough research has been done to ensure the safety of the consumer. The graph below shows the relation to the amount of genetically modified crops in relation to the number of children born with autism. As you can see, these two data sets are very closely related. From the year 2000 to 2001, there was no change in the level of genetically modified crops.
GMOs have a negative impact on the environment. Even though when they are first used they may require less herbicides and pesticides, over time animals develop a resistance to them, and they can be lost by huge waves of pests. In the process needed to create these seeds, thousands of chemicals are used and are created in huge factories that use fossil fuels. GMOs also deplete nutrients in the soil faster than conventional seeds, which means farmers are forced to use even more chemicals in the soil.
Big businesses are the main people that benefit from the production of GMOs. Farmers are forced to buy from them to keep up with the rest of the larger farms, and get trapped using them into contracts. GMO crops, because they are created by large businesses that have control in the government, are barely regulated and have been allowed to be on the market without much research to any of the effects. If you have any empathy for these farmers that are losing their livelihoods, you would be against GMO crops.
Many people believe that GMOs can help the environment because they use less chemicals. This is not true. The production of the genetically engineered seeds alone uses thousands of different chemicals that can then get into soil. It is true that initially, GMO seeds require less chemicals, but on the long term, they actually need more. Because GMOs are patented, only one kind of seed can be used across the whole country, meaning there is a monoculture, which allows pests to build up a resistance to the chemicals and can then destroy many crops. When monocultures occur, the only way to keep the same crops going is to just continually add larger and larger amounts of pesticides and herbicides, which are very harmful to the environment. Do you really want to be eating foods that have a negative effect on you, your environment, your money and the Earth in general?
GMOs are dangerous to the consumer, the economy, and the environment. I don’t think they should be used, especially to consume. We do not fully know all of the effects of them and they can cause many problems. As said by an employee at Growing Power, an organic farm “There is not a lack of food by any means,so GMOs aren’t helping anything, only hurting.
Works Cited
“Economic Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops.” The European Commision. The European Commision. Web. May 24, 2016.
Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, Seth Wechsler, Mike Livingston, and Lorraine Mitchell. “Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States.” USDA. USDA. Web. May 24, 2016.
Puckett, Lily. “Why the new GMO labeling law is so controversial.” Huffington Post. Vogue. Web. May 24, 2016.
Swanson, Nancy. “Nancy Swanson.” GMO Free Washington. GMO Free Washington. Web. May 24, 2016
Did you know that GMOs, genetically modified organisms, are in 90% of our food? Are they really safe for the consumers, the earth and the economy. I think that GMOs have a negative effect on the environment, the economy, and the people growing and eating them. They are likely to cause health problems on the people consuming them, the environment, and help big businesses, while hurting small farms.
GMO foods are more likely to produce foods that cause allergies, and in some cases can create new allergens. They also can cause health problems like obesity, heart disease and some cancers. GMOs are most commonly used in unhealthy processed foods. This makes prices for these foods drop and they become the only foods that people can afford. This raises levels of obesity, diabetes, and death related to heart disease. The most grown GMO crops in the United States are soybeans and corn, which are both most commonly used in processed foods that are not healthy, for the people eating them, and for the Earth. According to a study done by Dr. Nancy Swanson, the correlation between Immune disease, dementia, autism, and hypertension and the rise of genetically engineered crops has a match of over 90%. This means that GMOs could cause some of these diseases. Because GMOs have only been around since the 1980’s, I do not believe that enough research has been done to ensure the safety of the consumer. The graph below shows the relation to the amount of genetically modified crops in relation to the number of children born with autism. As you can see, these two data sets are very closely related. From the year 2000 to 2001, there was no change in the level of genetically modified crops.
Big businesses are the main people that benefit from the production of GMOs. Farmers are forced to buy from them to keep up with the rest of the larger farms, and get trapped using them into contracts. GMO crops, because they are created by large businesses that have control in the government, are barely regulated and have been allowed to be on the market without much research to any of the effects. If you have any empathy for these farmers that are losing their livelihoods, you would be against GMO crops.
Many people believe that GMOs can help the environment because they use less chemicals. This is not true. The production of the genetically engineered seeds alone uses thousands of different chemicals that can then get into soil. It is true that initially, GMO seeds require less chemicals, but on the long term, they actually need more. Because GMOs are patented, only one kind of seed can be used across the whole country, meaning there is a monoculture, which allows pests to build up a resistance to the chemicals and can then destroy many crops. When monocultures occur, the only way to keep the same crops going is to just continually add larger and larger amounts of pesticides and herbicides, which are very harmful to the environment. Do you really want to be eating foods that have a negative effect on you, your environment, your money and the Earth in general?
GMOs are dangerous to the consumer, the economy, and the environment. I don’t think they should be used, especially to consume. We do not fully know all of the effects of them and they can cause many problems. As said by an employee at Growing Power, an organic farm “There is not a lack of food by any means,so GMOs aren’t helping anything, only hurting.
Works Cited
“Economic Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops.” The European Commision. The European Commision. Web. May 24, 2016.
Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, Seth Wechsler, Mike Livingston, and Lorraine Mitchell. “Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States.” USDA. USDA. Web. May 24, 2016.
Puckett, Lily. “Why the new GMO labeling law is so controversial.” Huffington Post. Vogue. Web. May 24, 2016.
Swanson, Nancy. “Nancy Swanson.” GMO Free Washington. GMO Free Washington. Web. May 24, 2016
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