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wildgarlic

Can GM save the world?

Quote:
Genetic modification is one of the great contentious issues of 21st Century science.

Many countries do not share Europe's concerns over GM technology

To some it is a powerful technology that could boost food production and prevent famines; to others it is a dangerously untested science that threatens environmental disaster.

The BBC Horizon programme sent Jimmy Doherty - an advocate of sustainable farming - on a personal mission to get at some of the truths on GM.


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IainC

I taped this programme when it was on. Only noticed it by accident, was on after 11pm on BBC2 IIRC (although that may just have been a repeat of it?).

Haven't yet had a chance to watch it.

Can understand why some people would be against it and why some would be for it though. I guess the biggest problem is that we cannot always see the direct affects of it for a long time, and by then it's too late IYKWIM.
Martin

It's about on the same level as the Durkin programme denying climate change - a cleverly done whitewash job for an utterly filthy technology -
chapter and verse - http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1905&highlight=
IainC

Martin wrote:
It's about on the same level as the Durkin programme denying climate change - a cleverly done whitewash job for an utterly filthy technology


Playing Devils advocate here... if you can remove a strain from a plant that is suseptable to disease, surely that's a good thing?

Surely, in the past we've already had GM crops, as farmers have cross bred plants and animals to get better yeilds, etc
Martin

One of the biggest lies used to punt GM - mankind has improved plants over centuries using simple breeding techniques, but always constrained by natural barriers, GM allows them to put shark genes into wheat for instance - I have yet to see that occur naturally!
The other point is that it is a "pandora's box" technology - once out of the box, it can't be put back......there are very reasonable fears over what the damn things will do to the health of the biosphere, and ultimately us.......
All GM will do is INcrease the use of chemicals, make a fortune for Monsanto, and hasten the demise of all life on earth
IainC

Martin wrote:
One of the biggest lies used to punt GM - mankind has improved plants over centuries using simple breeding techniques, but always constrained by natural barriers, GM allows them to put shark genes into wheat for instance - I have yet to see that occur naturally!
The other point is that it is a "pandora's box" technology - once out of the box, it can't be put back......there are very reasonable fears over what the damn things will do to the health of the biosphere, and ultimately us.......
All GM will do is INcrease the use of chemicals, make a fortune for Monsanto, and hasten the demise of all life on earth


It's not a "lie", but agreed, they are fiddling with stuff that doesn't occur naturally now.

Problem is, as the report mentioned, it's only Europe who seem to GAS, so technically speaking it's probably already too late. As I mentioned, it tends to only be a lot further down the line that the effects are really seen and by then it's generally too late.

IMO though, I can see a place for some limited, "sealed" trials of some kinds of GM crops to get an idea of what can be done.
Martin

I've no problem with pure research in a totally sealed environment - all knowledge is good, but for it to be "released" into the wild is criminally insane, especially as there are NO proven benefits as yet! (well, except for the shareholders of Monsanto and their ilk!)
Smooth Hound

Martin wrote:
I've no problem with pure research in a totally sealed environment - all knowledge is good, but for it to be "released" into the wild is criminally insane, especially as there are NO proven benefits as yet! (well, except for the shareholders of Monsanto and their ilk!)



i agree, but  who can be trusted, which is why i am 100 percent against genetically modified  anything, it wouldnt feed the world anyway, you build more motorways and you just get more cars
IainC

Martin wrote:
I've no problem with pure research in a totally sealed environment - all knowledge is good, but for it to be "released" into the wild is criminally insane, especially as there are NO proven benefits as yet! (well, except for the shareholders of Monsanto and their ilk!)


Yup, totally agree. It's fine (and IMO expected) to try pushing the boundaries the whole time, but another completely to try something that affects/infects everything else and you can't turn it back.
IainC

Smooth Hound wrote:

i agree, but  who can be trusted, which is why i am 100 percent against genetically modified  anything, it wouldnt feed the world anyway, you build more motorways and you just get more cars


<JOKE>
Cannibalism is the future... it's the only way to reduce the numbers of people on the planet, the amount of energy that is being used and the food crisis.

Would also then mean less cars, etc on the roads as there are less people, leading to less stress getting to/from work.

Added bonus... if your boss is really p*ssing you off you just eat him/her... problem solved
</JOKE>

(added tags... 'cos no doubt someone would read it and maybe think I was being serious... Mmmm... Chianti and fava beans...)
Smooth Hound

anyway not wanting to put a damper on things, but the cats out of the bag now anyway,
Ironworker

I watched this video and was shocked to see just how far big business will go to push this very damaging development, and the cost of the loss of diversity which results from allowing it's use.  
This is a very long video about an hour or so, make sure you have a cup of tea and a biscuit with you before you watch it


http://www.asterpix.com/console/?avi=19301261
Maria

GM is sooooo scary - and I also worry that the cat is already out of the bag. Seeds have a wonderful way of landing where they will best thrive.

When (she says with a hopeful smile) I become profficient enough at growing, I hope to save my own seeds and perhaps, if I'm successful, join others as a seed guardian. It seems logical that the most hopeful way to growing food security, in an uncertain climatic future, is to let nature do what it is best at....evolve.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/guardians.php

Do many of you save your own seeds and/or have become seed guardians?
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