It is an absolute crime against humanity of Greenpeace' actions on golden rice and they need to be dealt with in an international court. Their actions have and continue to result in millions of deaths of youth.
Golden Rice is a genetically modified corn which simply adds nutrients to make it healthier.
In Bangladesh, 250 000 young kids go blind from lack of Beta-caterone, a vitamin needed for vision. After they go blind then then die.
The Swiss scientist who created Golden Rice has given it out for free to anyway to use a a humanitarian effort because it can save millions of lives.
Rice by itself has no nutritional value, so the modified version of the crop combines corn genetics to rice to make it "golden" giving it nutritional value.
Here is a video of the issue from Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace (who has now left.)
Greenpeace claims that there are "unforeseen environmental consequences," yet they have been completely unable to define any of them at all. They must think that thousands (sorry millions) of kids dying is not as important as some impact they haven't been able to define at all. In fact, GMOs are studied much more heavily than traditional crops and we know much more about them.
Greenpeace's zero tolerance of GMOs is having severe consequences and needs to be reevaluated.
WOW - thanks 4 showing this, something that people really need to hear more about but most people don't know...
ReplyDeleteInteresting how that this zero or nothing policy sounds good but when u look at it isn't really.
Before we go hating on Greenpeace is there more information on the environmental impact, as well as long term health impact of these crops? Let's all remember doctors prescribed cigarettes as stress relievers back in the day.
ReplyDeleteWhile writing this comment I found some links, not sure on their creditability but basically what I have gathered is that Greenpeace states the danger of jumping on the Golden rice band wagon to quick. There is also a link to the "golden rice project" which is a site that supports, rather than hates.
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/failures-of-golden-rice/
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/goldenRiceHazardsGMOs.php
http://www.bangmfood.org/feed-the-world/17-feeding-the-world/37-golden-rice-a-dangerous-experiment
http://www.goldenrice.org
My personal opinion is that GMO's seem like a easy way out to the simple fact that if children need more Vitamin A in their diets, spend the money on bringing natural sources to them, instead of creating potentially unsafe products and giving them to children.
Owen - I'm sorry that USAid, The United Nations (UN), The Pope's Scientists, The International Rice Consortium, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and thousands of other scientists are not "credible." I think most people would agree they are.
ReplyDeleteHere's one study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2012/07/31/ajcn.111.030775.abstract
These claims built on scientific research, not from a private corporate, Greenpeace.
You're right, we should not just start growing the crop right away, we should study the effects in the real world.
Unfourantely, Greenpeace has illegally burned test fields in Bangladesh. These are being started again but the progres has been slow because Greenpeace is refusing to even study the issue at all.
I agree with Owen in the sense that by using GMO's is taking the easy way out. Fresh food enriched with nutrients should be brought in as oppose to stuffing these children with genetically modified corn rice. These countries should grow carrots to keep the children full of vitamin A
ReplyDelete-Alison
Allison - The problem is not teaching people how to grow carrots and other leafy vegetables, most of the countries are very poor and the major industries are agriculture.
ReplyDeleteRice is built into the diets of these cultures, that is how it has always existed and will continue to exist. But why rice? It can be stored and is very cheap to produce. Much, much more resource intensive then carrots or other fruits.
Also, carrots cannot be exported (and sold) to Europe and North America, where these majority of the farmers make their income from. So they must grow crops that can be stored for a long time, such as corn and rice.
- Nicholas
I couldn't even watch the whole video, the green peace guy looked so sad..
ReplyDelete- Sav
This is a tough one though. I do think it's great that there may now be something else to contribute to the health of not just children, but everyone in these undeveloped countries. Buuuuuuuut, I also think it is very important to be aware of the effects that the rice could have on the surrounding environment and it's inhabitants. This is something that should be studied for years before it is consumed on such a wide scale. With a new product like this, the risks are still unknown, so the true benefits are unknown as well. What if golden rice turned fetus' into martians? I guess we'll find out.
ReplyDelete- Sav
ps, I decided to listen to the video and write my response at the same time so I didn't have to look at [ex-] greenpeace guys face..
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