Sunday, April 25, 2010

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Genetic Engineering: A Better Future?
I found this article recently, and thought it was worth a look for the class. The topic is green genetic manipulation, which presents a position of both far reaching possibility and controversy. For instance the growing viruses into batteries, or viruses to manufacture hydrocarbons have profoundly far reaching capabilities. But we are talking about genetic manipulation, which has had a previously controversial standing, such as with corn in Canada.

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/12-genetically-engineered-life-forms-promising-a-better-tomorrow/

As a counter point, here's an interesting video on genetic manipulation of food:

4 comments:

  1. European countries refuse to import our GMOs, and I agree with their reluctance. Food additives are often found to be carcinogenic years or decades after they were on the market. It is yet to be seen what the Human health effects will be from the widespread consumption of GMOs.

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  2. While these ideas all sound incredibly cool and fantastic in terms of aiding the health of our environment,I don't think that genetic modification of organisms, especially fauna, is a good idea. I think rather than modifying a pig to produce earth friendly waste, we should instead fix the ways that we are doing things which are leading to environmental degradation. It would be less expensive, and far more moral (in my opinion).

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  4. It would be beneficial to look at the cost of this kind of technology, and how it would be integrated into the animals. Also, would the farmers buy the genetically engineered cows and pigs from the place that engineers them? And if these animals start replacing "regular" ones, would their offspring also have "earth friendly poop?"

    I also agree with the first comment about the effect GMO's would have on human health. There are some environmental groups that are against GM food because they consider it unnatural and therefore unsafe. Here is an interesting link to one such organization: http://www.responsibletechnology.org/utility/showArticle/?objectID=212

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