Genetically Modified Food; More Helpful or Harmful? by Max Danagher

Topic: GMOs

maxdanagher — 2024-04-05 16:28:06 UTC

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are a plant or animal that has been genetically modified in order to alter the characteristics of the organism. This can be done through crossbreeding or high-tech genetic engineering. Usually, when people talk about GMOs they are referring to genetically modified fruits and vegetables. With the rise of our population came a need for more, better food. This manifested in fruits and vegetables that have been genetically modified to be virus and bug resistant as well as growing bigger, juicier, and more flavorful.

Links

maxdanagher — 2024-04-07 23:47:04 UTC

https://www.proterrafoundation.org/news/gmo-and-non-gmo-pros-and-cons/

https://cban.ca/gmos/issues/environmental-impacts/#:~:text=Biodiversity%20Loss%3A%20The%20use%20of,monarch%20butterfly%20in%20North%20America.

https://ag.purdue.edu/gmos/gmos-insects.html#:~:text=Insects%20that%20eat%20genetically%20modified,as%20certain%20insects%20evolve%20resistance.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18989835/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16440278/#:~:text=Major%20environmental%20risks%20associated%20with,degradation%20and%20in%20biogeochemical%20cycles.

Reasoning One

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:17:20 UTC

Soil Pollution

GMOs can affect abiotic factors in the soil such as salinity and mineral content which may not negatively affect them but can be harmful to other plants or animals. Also, microorganisms in the soil get affected too and they are important because they play a, "fundamental role in crop residues degradation and in biogeochemical cycles"(Nation Library of Medicine).

Reasoning Two:

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:17:24 UTC

Loss of Biodiversity

GMOs are designed to be more resilient than regular plants as well as toxic to many viruses, bugs, and even animals. So, when they are introduced to a natural environment, either through the water ways or pollination, they will take over the naturally growing plants and act as, essentially, an invasive species. Furthermore, the insects that used to call many natural plants home now no longer have the space that they used to.

Reasoning Three:

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:17:27 UTC

Toxicological effects

Some studies have shown that GM foods can negatively affect certain organs and their systems. This hasn't been studied in human, but in animals it has been shown to affect reproductive, pancreatic, renal, and hepatic health as well as alter certain hematological, biochemical, and immunologic parameters of the organs.

My Stance

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:25:06 UTC

In my opinion, I believe that GMOs are harmful. Now, I know that in our current situation we will always have some amount of GMOs. Our population is too big and our soil is already contaminated. Also using GMOs can reduce the amount of pesticides that are used as they are typically insect resistant by themselves. But, I think GMOs are doing more harm than good; and there are many other things related to food production, handling, and shipping that we should be working on first. In other aspects, though, it could be helpful technology, especially when looking at the development of drugs from a pharmacological standpoint.

Reasoning Four:

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:36:17 UTC

More Resistant Pests

Although these plants are made to be resistant to plants, as nature has always done, pests have began adapting. What is happening is that pests are being resilient to the protein that is usually supposed to kill them. This is bad because they can be toxic to the plants as well as some animals; now that they are even stronger against the means we have to kill them we may see a rise in pests taking over crops. Which could result in many farmers relying more on pesticides as they used to; further polluting the soil, water, and animals around the crops.

Why Should You Care?

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:36:31 UTC

Environmental concern has been on the rise in past decades as the effects of Climate Change become progressively more apparent in our daily lives. From record high temperatures to countless species experiencing endangerment, climate activists warn that we have already gone too far. GMOs is just another development that people know too little about and implemented without thinking. It has led to a loss of biodiversity as they are more resilient than non altered plants and they cannot provide homes for many insects that are necessary to keep our ecosystem healthy.

Current Article About This:

maxdanagher — 2024-04-09 21:38:22 UTC

Article on How Plant Based Products are Often Mostly GMOs Due to How Unregulated GMOs Are

maxdanagher — 2024-04-11 18:10:09 UTC

"In addition, once genetically modified plants have been introduced into the world, they often can no longer be retrieved: they can actively spread, multiplied, passing on their genetically modified properties to other organisms and influence each other, with all, largely unexplored consequences for the environment, animals and people"(CBAN).