GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Myths & Realities of GE Crops!

GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Myths & Realities of GE Crops!:                                                                          Right now a debate is raging in the U.S. about genetically engine...

Myths & Realities of GE Crops!

                                                                        
Right now a debate is raging in the U.S. about genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in our food. The biotech industry claims that GE food crops will save the environment and solve the hunger crisis.  But a growing number of scientists, doctors and consumers consider them a threat to the planet, and organizations like Christian Aid and the Institute for Food and Development Policy say GE food crops are likely to increase world hunger.
How can you make sense of this tricky subject?  Read on to find out the truth behind the genetic engineering myths.
MYTH #1: Genetic engineering is merely an extension of traditional breeding.
REALITY: Genetic engineering is a new technology that has been developed to overcome the limitations of traditional breeding.  Traditional breeders have never been capable of crossing fish genes with strawberries.  But genetically engineered “fishberries” are already in the field.  With genetic engineering, these types of new organisms can be created and released into the environment (1).  U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientists stated that genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, and so are the risks (2).  Despite this warning, the FDA continues to assert that GE foods and crops are not different and don’t require special regulations.
MYTH #2: Genetic engineering can make foods better, more nutritious, longer-lasting and better-tasting.
REALITY: The reason for the 70 million acres of GE crops grown in this country today has nothing to do with nutrition, flavor or any other consumer benefit. There is little benefit aside from the financial gains reaped by the firms producing GE crops.  Nearly all of the GE corn, soy, potatoes and cotton grown in the United States has been genetically altered so that it can withstand more pesticides or produce its own.
MYTH #3: GE crops eliminate pesticides and are necessary for environmentally sustainable farming.
REALITY: Farmers who grow GE crops actually use more herbicide, not less.  For example, Monsanto created Roundup-Ready (RR) soy, corn and cotton specifically so that farmers would continue to buy Roundup, the company’s best-selling chemical weed killer, which is sold with RR seeds (3).  Instead of reducing pesticide use, one study of more than 8,000 university-based field trials suggested that farmers who plant RR soy use two to five times more herbicide than non-GE farmers who use integrated weed-control methods.  GE crops may be the greatest threat to sustainable agriculture on the planet.  Many organic farmers rely on a natural bacterial spray to control certain crop pests.  The advent of genetically engineered, insect-resistant crops is likely to lead to insects that are immune to this natural pesticide.  When this biological pesticide is rendered ineffective, other farmers will turn to increasingly toxic chemicals to deal with the “superbugs” created by GE crops.  Meanwhile, organic farmers will be out of options.
MYTH #4: The Government ensures that genetic engineering is safe for the environment and human health.
REALITY: Neither the FDA (4), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (5), nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (6) has done any long-term human health or environmental impact studies of GE foods or crops, nor has any mandatory regulation specific to GE food been established.  Biotech companies are on the honor system.  They have virtually no requirements to show that this new technology is safe.  FDA scientists and doctors warned that GE foods could have new and different risks such as hidden allergens, increased plant-toxin levels and the potential to hasten the spread of antibiotic-resistant disease.  The USDA has reviewed more than 5,000 applications for experimental GE crop field trials without denying a single one.  USDA officials claimed they would conduct long-term studies of GE crops, but have no plans to require any pre-market or pre-release assessment.  Studies conducted after our environment and food supply have been contaminated will be too late.
MYTH #5: There is no scientific evidence that GE foods harm people or the environment
REALITY: There is no long-term study showing that GE foods or crops are safe, yet the biotech industry and government have allowed our environment and our families to become guinea pigs in these experiments.  Doctors around the world have warned that GE foods may cause unexpected health consequences that may take years to develop.  Laboratory and field evidence shows that GE crops can harm beneficial insects, damage soils and transfer GE genes in the environment, thereby contaminating neighboring crops and potentially creating uncontrollable weeds.
MYTH #6: GE foods are necessary to feed the developing world’s growing population.
REALITY: In 1998, African scientists at a United Nations conference strongly objected to Monsanto’s promotional GE campaign that used photos of starving African children under the headline “Let the Harvest Begin.”  The scientists, who represented many of the nations affected by poverty and hunger, said gene technologies would undermine the nations’ capacities to feed themselves by destroying established diversity, local knowledge and sustainable agricultural systems(7)  Genetic engineering could actually lead to an increase in hunger and starvation.  Biotech companies like Monsanto force growers to sign a technology use agreement when growing their patented GE crops which stipulates, among other things, they the farmer cannot save the seeds produced from their GE harvest.  Half the world’s farmers rely on saved seed to produce food that 1.4 billion people rely on for daily nutrition. Join the Fight for our Rights Today!

GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Genetically Engineered Foods Reviewed!

GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Genetically Engineered Foods Reviewed!:                                                                          The genetic engineering of plants and animals is looming as one...

Genetically Engineered Foods Reviewed!

                                                                        

The genetic engineering of plants and animals is looming as one of the greatest and most intractable environmental challenges of the 21st Century.
Currently, up to 85% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered (GE), as are 91% of soybeans and 88% of cotton (cottonseed oil is often used in food products). It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain genetically engineered ingredients.
By removing the genetic material from one organism and inserting it into the permanent genetic code of another, the biotech industry has created an astounding number of organisms that are not produced by nature and have never been seen on the plate. These include potatoes with bacteria genes, “super” pigs with human growth genes, fish with cattle growth genes, tomatoes with flounder genes, corn with bacteria genes, and thousands of other altered and engineered plants, animals and insects. At an alarming rate, these creations are now being patented and released into our environment and our food supply.

A Question of Risk
A number of studies over the past decade have revealed that genetically engineered foods can pose serious risks to farmers, human health, domesticated animals, wildlife and the environment. Despite these long-term and wide-ranging risks, Congress has yet to pass a single law intended to manage them responsibly. The haphazard and negligent agency regulation of biotechnology has been a disaster for consumers and the environment. Unsuspecting consumers by the tens of millions are purchasing and consuming unlabeled GE foods, despite a finding by U.S. Food & Drug Administration scientists that these foods could pose serious risks.
Center for Food Safety seeks to halt the approval, commercialization and/or release of any new genetically engineered crops until they have been thoroughly tested and found safe for human health and the environment. CFS maintains that any foods that already contain GE ingredients must be clearly labeled, and advocates for the containment and reduction of existing genetically engineered crops. Stay Tuned here for More Soon!

GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Insect Repellents Reviewed!

GreenEarthMeds News and Reviews: Insect Repellents Reviewed!: Bite Blocker Organic Xtreme Insect Spray       Best insect repellent for kids Pros Safe for all ages Plant-based ingredient...

Insect Repellents Reviewed!

Bite Blocker Organic Xtreme Insect Spray      

Best insect repellent for kids

Pros

• Safe for all ages
• Plant-based ingredients
• Won't damage plastics or synthetics
• Doesn't need to be washed off immediately after use

Cons

• Doesn't last as long as chemical-based insect repellents
• Smells bad                                                                                                                             
  

  Bottom line

  Bite Blocker Organic Xtreme is one of the few natural products on the market that is safe for pregnant women and kids under 3. As with most natural insect repellents, protection time varies greatly among individuals -- anywhere from just 90 minutes up to eight hours -- and you're supposed to reapply every three hours. You can safely reapply as often as needed.
  

  Performance

  Especially effective against mosquitoes - but you must reapply. Bite Blocker Organic Xtreme Insect Spray is a natural insect repellent containing soybean and other plant oils, which are safe for use on children and babies, as the active ingredients. Tests and reviews indicate that Bite Blocker insect repellent is effective, but it can't compete in effectiveness with formulas containing lemon eucalyptus oil (which can't be used on babies or toddlers) or DEET (which many parents are reluctant to put on their kids though it is considered safe).
  For most people, Bite Blocker insect repellent effectively wards off mosquitoes and black flies, but it isn't as good on ticks. The manufacturer claims the product provides anti-mosquito and black fly protection for up to eight hours and more than two hours for ticks; it also advises reapplying every three and a half hours or more.
  

  Feel and smell

  Some are repelled by Bite Blocker's scent. Bite Blocker Organic Xtreme Insect Spray is a white, opaque liquid that consumers say is non-irritating, goes a long way and smoothly absorbs into the skin. Users say it isn't greasy, and the pump makes the spray easy to apply. Not everyone likes the odor of this insect repellent, however. Consumers use words like "herbaceous," "bitter," "clean" and "nauseating" to describe it. Bite Blocker gets many 1-star reviews on Amazon.com simply because of its odor. You can reapply as often as you need, and the product works on clothing as well.Also for Direct Access to Brand Name Products&Services like this Visit our Partners at  http://ebuys-onlineproducts-services.weebly.com