Selwyn Polit

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Genetic Engineering of Food

How do you feel about having your food genetically modified in ways that nature never could? What are the side effects? Are there questions of safety? What are the long term ramifications?

NPR recently (week of Sept 3, 1999) did a show on Europe and Biotech Foods. Many Europeans are vehemently against Genetic Engineering. (That site is http://www.loe.org/archives/990903.htm#feature1)

Check out the following to find out more...

Just found a cool new site on Frankenfoods. http://www.foe.org/safefood/bonior.html

Genetically Engineered Food - A serious health hazard

Read all about genetic engineering in the Genetic Engineering News Report

Protect our future - Sign the online petition for mandatory
labeling of genetically engineered foods -
http://www.safe-food.org/-campaign/petition.html

A fairly updated list of what is still free of genetically engineered components is on http://www.safe-food.org,
under "Brand Names." Note the write-up about vitamin supplements.

How about Aspertame? This appears to be pretty nasty stuff. Read more about it at http://www.dorway.com/ (Think MIGRAINES, MEMORY LOSS, SEIZURES, OBESITY, PAIN,
INFERTILITY 92 FDA listed symptoms INCLUDING DEATH!)

Genetic Engineering News: This is a really slick site with lots of valuable info.
http://www.eGroups.com/list/ge-news

Mothers for Natural Law - all about genetic engineering
http://www.safe-food.org/

Examples of Food that is genetically Engineered

SOY: Genetically engineered and DNA-altered by Monsanto with bacteria, and capable of tolerating heavy doses of Monsanto's Roundup brand chemical pesticide (glyphosate).

CORN: Genetically engineered to tolerate great quantities of the chemical pesticide glufosinate, and genetically engineered with a virus and the DNA of the bacterium bacillus thuringiensis.

POTATOES: Genetically engineered with wax moth insect DNA; genetically engineered to produce its own internal pesticide with DNA of bacillus thuringiensis bacteria.

YELLOW CROOK NECK SQUASH: Gene-spliced with an two experimental viruses and arbitrary marker genes. Targetted for baby food.

CANOLA OIL: Genetically engineered and DNA-altered with California bay turnip and various viruses and bacterium in order to produce unusually high quantities of lauric acid.

COTTON SEED OIL: Genetically engineered and DNA-altered with Arabidopsis bacterium, and viruses to be able to withstand large applications of the chemical pesticide bromoxynil.

TOMATOES: Genetically engineered with bacteria-derived kanamycin resistance genes, Antisense backwards DNA, antibiotic marker genes, viruses. 5 ge tomatoes approved for market.

Organic Food

Why Choose Organic?

Tastes great
Good for you
Good for the environment
Reduces water pollution
Supports organic growers
Reduces pesticide use
Conserves Natural resources

...Why not?

Organic Consumers Association
The Organic Consumers Association is a new, non-profit, consumer advocacy organization working to make organic agriculture the dominant form of food and fiber production in the US and around the world. The OCA educates and unites organic consumers to protect the integrity of the organic label, promote sustainable and organic agriculture, oppose hazardous practices of industrialized farming and genetic engineering, and protect citizens' right to know how their food is produced and processed. http://www.organicconsumers.org

Don't panic Eat organic

News

Connecting the people who are changing the world - www.igc.org

Human Rights

Shortly after World War II, representatives from forty-six nations met in San Francisco to negotiate the terms of a legally binding charter upon which to base the United Nations. The United Nations Charter tells us that the international organization which these countries designed has four purposes, one of which is "promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion." Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations has worked to protect and promote human rights throughout the world.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations and was adopted (without dissent) by the UN’s General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Environment

Rachel Environment and Health Weekly

Check out the Union of Concerned Scientists who are working for a healthy environment
and a safe world

Sustainable Resources at Greenbuilder.com

If you are interested in building a house out of sustainable building materials, you
might want to Search for Green Building Professionals

Check out Texas InfiNet. An online community for progressive information.

Finances

Just because it's the way things are done now..... doesn't mean it's the best way.
Check out how someone found a better way to do credit.
Click on the link to Grameen Bank to find out more.

`Sustainable living`

Building contruction is an area where we can do much better. One method of building homes is with straw bale construction. Yes, building houses out of straw bales. They are cheap, fire-resistant, have fantastic insulating capabilities and can look fantastic. Check out this page for more info
www.auschron.com/issues/spec/greenbuild/

Check out the United Nations at http://www.unsystem.org/