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The GMO debate: Changemakers challenges consumers to weigh in
Posted on Thu, September 17, 2009 by Jerusha Klemperer
2 Comments | Categories: Biodiversity, Farms and Farming, Labeling, Policy, Take Action,
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The GMO debate rages on—with one side, including our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and our Secretary of bajillions-of-dollars-to-invest Bill Gates, suggesting that our best hope for feeding the world’s growing population is genetically modified crops.
Some of us, on the other hand, doubt GMOs actual ability to yield, and fear their still unknown effects, their potential threat to the environment, destruction of agrarian culture, and damage to the livelihoods of farmers. Not to mention we doubt the veracity of scientific research funded by big, powerful corporations.
Government agencies, scientists, farmers, and advocacy organizations have weighed in, but what can we actually do? What solutions are available to help the average person make the right choices? How do we really know what we’re eating and feeding our families?
These questions are being addressed right now as part of Ashoka’s Changemakers’ GMO Risk or Rescue? Helping Consumers Decide online challenge. From now until October 21st, Changemakers invites everyone to submit ideas that will educate and advocate for consumers—whether you’re for or against genetically modified organisms.
GMO Risk or Rescue? Helping Consumers Decide is a competition in search of solutions. Anyone with an idea—from a local gardener with a seed preservation project, to a University-sponsored pro-GMO campaign—is welcome to voice their opinion, promote their cause, and ultimately provide the answers that will affect our world.
The Changemakers online community will vote for the most innovative ideas, and one lucky winner will receive a $1,500 Changemakers Idea Grant and have the opportunity to meet with Michael Pollan. The winner will be revealed on November 4th.
Visit Changemakers.com now to hear what others are saying, and to enter your winning solution before October 21st.
[photo courtesy of the Carolina Gold Rice Foundation]
Member Comments
From Norma C. Roberts-Hakizimana on Wed, September 23, 2009
The numbers are out there, there is no real or true facts that gmo crops are anymore productive than non-gmo crops.It’s a smoke screen corporations lie about to scare the small farmers into believing they’ll lose ‘EVERYTHING’ if they don’t use them! Why not try to start by acquiring non-gmo seeds for some Urban farms starting up across the country? If this can be done away from the gmo crops would the threat of cross pollination be reduced? Wheat, soy, oats, flax would be a great start. So I guess my biggest question is where is the resource for this to begin? Where can one find non-altered seeds in large quanity? What the universities use for research?
From Jody on Mon, October 05, 2009
Anyone that has seen two field side by side, one protected by GM, and one not can see the yeild difference.
I believe a combination of conventional, biotech, organic, and new technologies is needed to ensure a healthy and abundant food supply in the future.
