It has been an interesting couple of months for me personally. I am filled with enormous gratitude for life, my faculties and the love, courage, and greatness I witness every day. The many wonderful people who have supported me with beautiful words and encouragement I thank you. There is so much I have wanted to share recently. From “I Am Steve Marsh” to the Terrible TPP to some inspiring people and events (including my mom Ratana who was recently awarded the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada). Although I have been posting some Style-Diet Shots, I am otherwise breaking silence.
Through social media (as the mainstream media is still rubbing its eyes, wondering if it should wake up), US state after state and several counties are presenting both labelling bills and GE or GMO Free resolutions. Clearly, this is one of the biggest issues of our times. Canada and the US are the only developed countries who do not legislate some kind of labelling of GMOs. So today I write with a happy heart that we can do something (activism and clicktivism) right here and now today in Canada. Our collective clicks will become a force for change. Our voices a sea of myriad droplets rushing in 100 foot waves (Dustin Barca can surf ‘em) . So much good has come lately. Food Babe and Robyn O’Brien and Moms Across America, our Hawaiian siblings and so many others have successfully managed to eke great changes to N. American food recently. We still have a huge mountain to climb. But the journey of a thousand miles begins with one single footstep. Robyn O’Brien talks about the moral compass. Let’s keep True North. Let’s hold the corporations to their better angels.
For those who are still confused about whether GMOs are good or bad, I will explain why you should be wary and cautious about GMOs and employ the precautionary principle, apart from the facts that:
1. GMOs have contributed to a massive increase in toxic pesticides and herbicides.
2. GMOs have contributed to the creation of superweeds.
3. GMOs are now being considered by the USDA to be sprayed with 2,4 D also known as Agent Orange. Since Round-Up (Glyphosate) isn’t working any more, the big chemical companies are resorting to even more toxic applications of the GMO technology. It appears that the USDA is leaning towards approval despite common sense screaming against it.
4. GMOs have been approved by the government, based on short-term studies done by the same companies selling them. Every independent, long-term study has shown cause for alarm.
5. Despite the hype about Bio-enhanced foods, most – 90% of GMOs are designed to withstand the herbicide glyphosate also known as Round-Up.
Most North Americans do not know whether they are consuming GMOs since the chemical giants and others like the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association have lobbied against consumer’s right to know, spending millions upon millions to suppress this basic necessity. Imagine how many hungry people they could have fed instead? They continue along this tragic path of concealment despite allowing customers elsewhere around the globe this right (about 5 billion see previous post http://thedeepersideblog.com/2013/12/09/gmos-by-nation). These people in 64+ nations are buying the very same products reformulated without GMOs and or labelled.
There are two things not commonly known about GMOs that I learned from former GMO scientist Dr. Thierry Vrain (youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQkQXyiynYs). The first is that, when scientists insert foreign genes (usually to resist the antibiotic Round-Up), the process is imprecise and nobody knows where in the DNA of the modified organism this toxic gene ends up. The second thing is scientists don’t know how many copies are being inserted. Messing with the DNA of an organism is problematic since biologists continually discover just how intensely, mind-blowingly complicated DNA is. Even this past December an article in Science turned the original one protein-one gene DNA theory on its head:
http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/12/12/scientists-discover-double-meaning-in-genetic-code/
Nearly every study not conducted by the handful of chemical companies controlling this technology shows serious health and toxic effects on animals and ecosystems. As famous environmentalist and geneticist (also an alumnus of my alma mater The University of Chicago) David Suzuki has famously said, “Any politician or scientist who tells you these products are safe is either very stupid or lying.”
So what can you do here in Canada?
Today you can effect change with a two pronged approach!
The first is an online petition. With one click below, you can support the new Federal Labelling Bill M480 “Right to Know” put forth by Murray Rankin, an MP and Lawyer championing people and the environment. It is wonderful to have an elected official listening to the people, for the people. Like in the US, we in Canada want GMOs labelled. And this is no small minority. Well over 90% of Canadians and Americans consistently polled want GMOs labelled. We of the over 90% feel it’s a right, given that fat and sugar and even the contents of our mattresses are labelled. Even those who believe GMOs are good (or can be) still want to know what they are feeding themselves and their families.
Murray Rankin first introduced this bill in Ottawa this past December 2013. Please take a minute to sign and share and send as widely as you can.
http://petition.ndp.ca/the-food-you-eat
Secondly, if you are convinced like many multitudes, that GMOs have no merit except for fairy tales and real red flag warnings, then you can support a recent campaign to Stop the GM apple. This apple doesn’t brown when cut. And remember, the scientists themselves don’t know what processes are being disrupted in the insertion of foreign genes in the process of making this un-necessary apple. What you can do is speak up against the GM Apple. Remind your stores where you shop that the apple is using dangerous technology. Tell them you wont buy it. Explain how the process of creating GMOs is imprecise and disrupts the DNA of the Apple. Plus once released into our countryside, it will contaminate our other apples. Quote David Suzuki and Dr Vrain. Inform them about Dr. Vrain’s Ted Talk and his cross Canada tour to enlighten the public.
I’ve been reading about Abraham Lincoln who led America at the time of the civil war. He refused to let the slave states secede at a time a weaker man might have let the US just split into two or allow slavery to perpetuate into the new territories. Whilst reading, I can’t stop marvelling that people used biology, logic and religion to justify slavery. When such injustice is perpetrated, we are morally obligated to speak out and up. With right comes might and a sense of noble purpose. Please ask me if you want more petitions to sign and I’ll dig them up.
Well, Gentle Readers (feeling Victorian after immersing in some Romantic music yesterday), please forgive my ramblings, mistakes, and typos. I hope to be back again as soon as possible. In the meantime, thank you for reading. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for your commitment to the Earth and each other. A presto…
