From Mendel to Monsanto
opinion Essay
1030 words
GMOs first sprouted in the mid eighteen hundreds with an Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel breeding peas, and has now evolved into a worldwide method of creating the perfect plant. Companies like Monsanto and AstraZeneca lead the world of unlimited GMOs today. Although consumers are led to believe that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food crops are uncontrollable and harmful, GMOs can be controlled and can be considered to be extremely beneficial. One concern that numerous consumers have, is that GMO products will cause genetic mutations in both humans and animals that eat genetically modified crops , but such accusations are based on supposition and myth. One of the strongest arguments against GMOs is that asexually reproducing crops will spread farther than intended, though there are deterrents that prevent this from happening. By using GMOs we are able to reduce the area needed to produce equal or higher yields compared to traditional food crops. Another argument that consumers have against GMOs is that farmers are not allowed to reuse seeds, which is largely a legal matter, not a biological one. Another major concern Americans have about GMOs in food crops is the correlation GMOs have with obesity in wealthy countries, but this concern is not valid when considering developing countries riddled with poverty. Lastly, consumers argue that plants that have insecticides built into them will kill the pollinators, such as bees and other insects and birds that depend on the pollen. However, pollinators are able to use plants that are not used in agriculture to pollinate and thrive. All of these issues that are commonly brought forward by consumers who wish to discourage the use of GMOs are able to be controlled or have alread... ... middle of paper ... ...y modifying plants and animals to make them more productive and disease resistant and that the evidence of harm is more anecdotal than real. Works Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism http://www.fastcoexist.com/1676104/the-genetically-modified-food-you-eat-every-day http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112915266/list-of-gmo-foods-080513/ http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods.htm http://www.huffingtonpost.com/builtlean/diet-and-nutrition_b_4323937.html http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2013/06/18/top-10-most-common-gmo-foods/ http://earthopensource.org/files/pdfs/GMO_Myths_and_Truths/GMO-Myths-and-Truths-edition2.pdf http://naturalsociety.com/americans-consume-nearly-200-pounds-gmos-annually/ http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195316957.001.0001/acprof-9780195316957-chapter-12
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetically modified organisms (gmos) are uncontrollable and harmful but can be controlled and considered beneficial.
- Opines that consumers who believe that gmos can cause genetic mutations in people or animals have not looked farther than anti-gmo magazine articles. millions of americans have been eating gm foods without ill effects.
- Explains that farmers could destroy millions of acres of forest to use for farmland. scientists and farmers could collaborate to create genetically modified food crops that produce much higher yields per acre.
- Explains that many farmers are concerned with asexually reproducing crops because they feel they have been forced into buying more seeds for gmo crops.
- Argues that the increase in gmo crops shows a significant relationship with the obesity rates in the us but, this correlation does not show the full picture.
- Opines that genetically modified crops will negatively affect pollinators, despite the fact that they are not likely to harm bees.
- Concludes that there are distinct advantages to genetically modifying plants and animals to make them more productive and disease resistant. the evidence of harm is more anecdotal than real.
- Cites https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/genetically_modified_organism, http://www.fastcoexist.com/1676104/the-genetically-modifiable-food-you-eat-everyday.
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- Gmo's Argumentative Essayexplanatory essayGMO’s, or Genetically Modified Foods, are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one organism are harvested and put into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. In the 1990s, GMO’s were first introduced and are now used in the majority of processed foods in the United States; while in Europe and elsewhere they are banned as ingredients. GMO’s are more harmful than beneficial and are not the answer to the world’s hunger problem.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that gmo's are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the dna of one organism are harvested and put into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal.
- Describes the technology behind genetically modified gray mystic rice, which is modified to produce a vitamin that helps human immune systems.
- Explains that the rice failed to live up to the hype. it could not grow in the areas where it was needed, and it required expensive fertilizers and pesticides.
- Explains that people starve because they don't have access to food. the problem is not quantity, it's distribution. gmos are not needed to solve world hunger.
- Explains that witless syngenta spent $50 million on the golden rice ad campaign, more than was spent on developing it in the first place.
- Opines that creating genetically modified food purely for profit is not the answer to solving world hunger.
524 wordsRead More - Persuasive Essay: Should GMO Be Banned?analytical essayGMO 's provide us with the increased amounts of food that we need to feed an constantly growing population. As Nobel Prize laureate, Dr Norman E. Borlaug puts it: "There is no evidence to indicate that biotechnology is dangerous. After all, mother nature has been doing this kind of thing for God knows how long,". (Tervil Okoko, AgBioWorld) GMO 's have been around for far longer than people give them credit for – and in fact many of the foods we 've grown to love today like apples, bananas, grapes, and potatoes have all been modified for ease of human consumption. GMO 's reduce the amount of land needed in order to plant crops, as they produce crops of the same size with more yield than non-genetically engineered food. GMO 's allow for more nutritious, resilient, and better tasting food. There are currently no credible studies proving that the use of rDNA can lead to health defects in humans, and genetically engineered foods go through more rigorous testing than non-GMO 's. Contrary to the statistics, GMO 's are currently being developed to reduce pesticide use through intrinsic pest resistance – and a German study that was published on PLOS even concluded that “On average, GM technology adoption has reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased farmer profits by 68%” (Wilhelm Klümper & Matin Qaim, PLOS). GMO 's can even help us fight back against climate change, as it allows the creation of crops resistant to severe weather – like droughts, which California (one of the best sources for crops in the nation) is currently experiencing with no particular end date in sight. Additionally, because of the aforementioned factors, GMO 's can be used to fight back against world hunger. They 're produced in mass quality, are cheaper, and more durable than non-genetically modified foods – in short, they 're an incredibly
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the human species has applauded themselves for their advances in science, technology, medicine, and engineering, but many people are afraid that these advancements are giving us too much power and ultimately uprooting us from our relationship with nature
- Explains the definition of a genetically modified organism (gmo) and the use of the term "eenetic engineering".
- Explains that it's common for people to believe that eating genetically modified food is a health risk despite much evidence to the contrary.
- Analyzes how sensationalist responses to unproven studies speak for themselves at how eager people can be to jump on board with even the flimsiest proof.
- Explains the real risks of genetically engineered organisms, such as corporate greed and dependence on pesticides.
- Explains that gmo's have been around for far longer than people give them credit for. they can reduce pesticide use through intrinsic pest resistance.
- Opines that gmos are an easy, reasonable solution to many of our country's current problems, and they have not been proven to cause any health defects.
1716 wordsRead More - Socialist Opposition to Genetic Engineeringanalytical essayA debate is ragging over the advancements being made in genetic engineering. Scientist discovered that genes are the map of every aspect of a living organism, this has furthermore led to the prospect of altering this coding. By modifying one’s genes parents will one day be able to pick the color of their unborn child’s eyes and farmers will have the ability to develop plants that will produce bigger and healthier harvest. With the growing anticipation that some feel towards genetically modified crops others question it effects on the surrounding environments. Often pesticides are more heavily relied on for genetically modified crops and some cases have found pollination decreased in areas dominated by GM plants. Since there are so many aspects of genetic modification that have yet to be explored, much more research is required before distributing GM seeds internationally, but from the information already available the sides have begun to divide.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the socialist opposition to genetic engineering is ragging over the advancements being made in the field.
- Analyzes how bill hopwood's article, "manipulating life: genetically engineered crops," expresses his opposition against government, big business, and efforts to meet the needs of society as a whole.
- Analyzes how hopwood's introduction and the following six paragraphs are not composed of opinions or viewpoints. loaded words are used in this part of the article but not very common.
- Analyzes how hopwood expresses the socialist desire to protect the destruction of our environment. the facts presented in paragraph six show how using genetically engineered crops will affect more than just the people who eat the food, but the entire area surrounding the plant during its growth.
- Explains that research and development has focused on producing plants that resist chemical weed and pest killers, and crops with a longer shelf life.
- Analyzes how logos are used to support the socialist agenda. hopwood claims by producing one strain of crop that has been genetically modified, a narrow crop is drastically more prone to diseases.
- Analyzes hopwood's ideal of protecting society from big business leaders. the use of pathos is effective for this argument since many people respect and see farmers as dignified businessmen.
- Explains that the drive for profit means the results of genetic engineering are not properly tested before use. the companies gain a patent to protect their profit on the basis of claimed invention.
- Explains hopwood's argument that relying on large companies raises farmers' costs and increases grocery prices. pesticides, high cost, and domination by large corporations oppose every belief socialists have on agriculture.
1077 wordsRead More - The Pros And Cons Of GMOexplanatory essayBut opponents for GMO continue to fight and protest the safety of any GMO’s and are we truly ready for them, currently agricultural plants are one of the most frequently used examples of genetically modified organisms, some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are increased crop yields, which advocates believe will reduced the costs of food and reduce the need for pesticides. They also believe that they enhance the nutrient composition of food quality and is resistance to pests and disease, many feel that using GMO’s can benefit the world 's growing
In this essay, the author
- Describes a genetically modified organism, or microorganism, whose genetic makeup has been changed by using recombinant dna methods (also called gene splicing).
- Explains the pros and cons of using food that is genetically modified.
- Explains that the non-gmo project is a not-for-profit that is dedicated to protecting and promoting non-gmo food supply. however, opponents for gmo continue to fight and protest the safety of any genetically modified organism.
- Opines that gmo's are the answer to all our prayers and that the world food problems are over but are they really?
- Describes the pros and cons of gmos, such as improved flavor, better resistance to diseases, and increased health.
- Explains that effective pest control results in higher crop yields and environmental benefits, such as controlling farm runoff that otherwise pollutes water systems, and reduced mechanical weeding.
- Explains the pros and cons of eating genetically modified crops. they are resistant to pesticides, contain more nutrients, and take time to mature and grow.
- Explains that climate change is likely to make the problem worse. drought, damaging storms, and hot days are already taking a toll on crop yields.
- Explains that gm crops lower production costs by reducing inputs of machinery, fuel, and chemical pesticides. the traits targeted through genetic engineering are often the same as those pursued by conventional breeding.
- Opines that even though there are tons of studies showing both the pro's and cons of genetically modified organisms, they aren't completely sure of the effect of their chemical effects on the earth.
1417 wordsRead More - For Better or Worse: Genetically Modified Organismsopinion essayGMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are plants and animals that have had their DNA changed. The organisms have been given genes from other living things to modify them to resist things such as insects, herbicides, and diseases. This way the modified foods and animals increase food production. Yet in the process of tampering with the genetic makeup or DNA of these organisms into something unnatural we learn some things should be left alone. The purpose of this essay is to discuss three causes and effects of GMOs, which are human and animal health concerns, environmental concerns, and moral and ethical concerns.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetically modified organisms are plants and animals that have had their dna changed to resist insects, herbicides, and diseases.
- Opines that gmos aren't safe for humans, and that farmers need to increase the use of pesticides on crops.
- Explains that genetically altered crops become pests and weeds, pollinate with wild plants, and emit toxic substances to protect themselves, putting nature and life in harm's way.
- Opines that there will always be moral and ethical dilemmas about using genetically modified organisms.
- Opines that scientists have intended good causes yet the bad effects of gmos seem to be adding up faster than expected.
546 wordsRead More - Genetically Modified Human Beingsanalytical essayThe majority of consumers today are unaware that they are eating genetically engineered (GE) foods on a constant basis without much knowledge as to what GE foods are. (pg 6, 8) While 60-70% of all processed products contains a GE ingredient, and since the majority of crops that grow corn, cotton, potato, and soybeans are growing GE seeds; people are beginning to question the safety and need of such technology. (7) The growing population, the unpredictable climate change, and the increase of pesticide spraying are the two motivating factors for growing GE seeds. There is a necessity in the marketplace for farmers to be creating more sustainable, productive, and environmentally friendly crops. (7)
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the growing population, unpredictable climate change, and the increase of pesticide spraying are the motivating factors for growing ge seeds.
- Explains that selective breeding is the process of choosing and growing seeds from which the plant or animal has a desired trait that needs to be pronounced further.
- Explains that there are studies that show ge foods can be toxic or allergenic to human beings and there is a conflict of interest for current published and unpublished studies.
- Argues that corporate scientists conduct studies on the safety of their products having conflict of interest in the testing at hand. scientists of high regard have lost their jobs and have even been demoted in their university positions.
- Argues that the safety of human beings shouldn't be marginalized when the consequences of this technology are still unknown.
- Explains the risks of horizontal gene transfer from ge plants to humans and the possibility of anti-bacterial microbes being created.
- Opines that big corporations undermining the health of the general public should be regulated thoroughly by authoritative governmental bodies.
- Argues that the term'substantially equivalent' is a non-scientific concept that does not objectively identify differences and dangers of the tested plant.
- Concludes that inconsistencies in the results of current published studies strikes questions to which authorities could not justify scientifically because a lot of what is considered safe has only been proven safe in short-term studies.
- Describes the sources of information on genetically engineered foods, such as http://earthopensource.org, cls.casa.colostate.edu, transgeniccrops, and food policy.
- Explains the risks of genetically modified crops for nutrition and health.
- Describes the sources of information available at ijbs.com, ezproxy.langara.bc.ca, sciencedirect.
1319 wordsRead More - Episode Of The Eyes Of Nye Analysisanalytical essayIn an episode of The Eyes of Nye, science educator Bill Nye explores the implications of genetically modified foods (GMOs) on consumers and ecosystems. GMOs are a growing concern for consumers because of their unknown health side-effects. In addition, they are also becoming an issue for ecosystems that are near GMO crops. As a response to the increasingly common and problematic use of GMOs, Nye makes the argument that GMOs need to be studied more thoroughly and planted with greater responsibility to the surrounding ecosystems.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how science educator bill nye explores the implications of genetically modified foods (gmos) on consumers and ecosystems.
- Analyzes nye's argument that gmo crops are harmful to ecosystems if not carefully studied and grown responsibly.
- Explains that bill nye is an expert on gmos and that insufficiently researched crops have the potential to disturb the surrounding ecosystem. the second and third premises would be true but the first one could be questionable.
- Concludes that nye's argument on gmos was well-formed and an insightful view on the problem.
599 wordsRead More - Organic Labelinganalytical essayBanning GMOs in the United States prevents their environmental, social, and economical effects. GMOs promote biodiversity loss, prevent growth of organic markets, and hinder sustainable agriculture. They are not labeled and have several impacts on human health. GMOs expand world hunger and are monopolistic. The solution to banning GMOs through support. As the Indian proverb goes, “All the flowers, all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” If nothing is done about GMOs, there will not be flowers or tomorrows in the
In this essay, the author
- Explains that gmos advocates are advising the idea of including genetically altered organisms into organic farming. the sixth annual organic market overview states america’s organic industry has grown by over 22 percent.
- Argues that gmos hinder sustainable development of agriculture. they argue that sustainable agriculture is not as financially supported as agriculture using genetic modification because of companies looking to make quick returns, rather than maintain sustainability for the next generation.
- Argues that gmos are unethical because they are unlabeled and have negative effects on humans.
- Explains that gmos have negative effects on the economy. they claim modified food will help feed the world’s growing population.
- Explains that agrobiotechnology companies claim to help in making productive agriculture simple, but they are doing it the wrong way. monsanto has created "terminator seeds" which remain sterile to prevent farmers from storing away their best seeds.
- Explains that the solution to banning the growth of consequences from genetic modification is to support local farmers’ markets, nongovernmental organizations, labeling, and organic methods. public support and funding of sustainable agriculture research and education should not only solve world hunger, but also protect the environment.
- Explains that banning gmos in the united states prevents their environmental, social, and economical effects. they are not labeled and have several impacts on human health.
1086 wordsRead More - Genetically Modified Organismsexplanatory essayScientists have been changing genomes of plants and animals by integrating new genes from a different species through genetic engineering, creating a genetically modified organism (GMO). Consumers in America have been eating GMOs since 1996, when they went on the market. There are benefits to genetically modifying crop plants, as it improves the crop quality and increases yield, affecting the economy and developing countries. But there are also negative effects from GMOs. Consumption of GMOs has various health effects on both body systems of animals and humans. GMOs also affect the environment, ecosystems and other animal species. The cons outweigh the pros in the case of GMOs.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that scientists have been changing genomes of plants and animals by integrating new genes from different species through genetic engineering, creating a genetically modified organism (gmo).
- Explains that genetically modified crops contribute to their quality and can help third world countries, where malnutrition is common.
- Explains that gm crops benefit the economy and assist in feeding more people. genetic engineering in agriculture can minimize the cost of producing food.
- Explains that genetic engineering artificially combines genes from different species and forcibly inserts them into unknown and random locations on the host genome. this process can create mutations in thousands of locations throughout the plant’s dna.
- Explains that animals fed genetically modified crops have suffered from disease, sterility, and have died.
- Explains that there are no long-term human studies demonstrating that gmos are healthy. the foreign genes inserted into them are from species that have never been consumed by humans.
- Explains the negative effects of genetically modified crops and herbicides on the environment, such as the 50% population drop of monarch butterflies in the us.
- Opines that the "pros" of gmos have been contradicted by a study conducted by the union of concerns scientists.
- Disagrees with the use of gmos, stating that they do more harm than good to humans and animals.
- Describes the 10 reasons to avoid gmos.
- Narrates how phillips, theresa, and jeffrey smith have written about the dangers of gmos.
859 wordsRead More - Gmo Is Harmful Essayanalytical essayGMOs, or genetically modified organisms created in a lab by altering an organism’s DNA, are in almost everything we eat (Chevat and Pollan). In fact, 75% of all supermarket food contains some form of a GMO (Caldwell). They can be engineered to resist disease, pesticides, and herbicides, which has many environmental and human repercussions. Although genetically modified food is cheap for consumers, it is harmful to the environment and it is dangerous for humans to ingest, and therefore needs to be eliminated from our food supply.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that 75% of all supermarket food contains some form of a gmo. genetically modified food is cheap for consumers, but it is harmful to the environment and dangerous for humans.
- Explains the negative effects of genetically modified organisms on the environment.
- Explains that gmos are not perfect, and can affect millions of people before the flaws of the plant are noticed. they are also known to cause serious internal harm.
- Argues that gmos are a reckless experiment with the natural order of things and that large businesses are not good for the food industry.
- Opines that genetically modified organisms need to be eliminated from our food supply.
749 wordsRead More