Genetic engineering is anything but green. Nor will it feed the world. It won't feed the world because it relies on the unnatural process of standardization which places the health of ecosystems at risk which, in turn, will reduce the variety of plants and animals you can eat.
You would think that based on scientific evidence regarding the dangerous practices of companies like Monsanto, that they wouldn't have any political clout. Not so. In addition to the government agencies giving a certificate of recognition, Monsanto has been sitting on the cabinet of the Obama Administration via Michael Taylor who was appointed in July 2009. And as if to blatantly reinforce the Who's line "Meet the New Boss Same as the Old Boss" in the song, "Won't Get Fooled Again," Monsanto also sat upon George Bush's lap ( http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_1034.cfm )
Is there really much difference between Republican and Democrat given they are bought and sold by the same people?
But there is hope, even politically.
For example, Wake Up World reports: "Representing one of the most agriculturally bio-diverse nations in the world, India has become a primary target for biotechnology companies like Monsanto and Cargill to spread their genetically-modified (GM) crops into new markets. However, a recent France 24 report explains that the Indian government has decided to take an offensive approach against this attempted agricultural takeover by suing Monsanto for "biopiracy," accusing the company of stealing India's indigenous plants in order to re-engineer them into patented varieties." ( http://wakeup-world.com/2011/10/11/indian-government-files-biopiracy-lawsuit-against-monsanto/ ).
This is a government that is taking action. But, we can't count on our government given that our government is corporate owned and friendly.
Indeed, it appears there is an uprising in our own country where organic farmers are suing Monsanto ( http://www.growswitch.com/blog/2011/07/270000-organic-farmers-sue-monsanto/ ). Will they win or not? Who is to say what the courts are going to do? Nor should we count on the courts. We need to count on us. This "us" is a much bigger movement than what is reported in the corporate media.
Yet the battle is not going to be easily fought. Based on our "shop till you drop mentality" coupled with an ethic towards fast foods, change is going to be hard. So, each of us with open eyes must act in our communities and in our backyards. As the economy deteriorates because of the sociopathic philosophy of growth without end into chaos, we must retake control over our lives beginning with our food. We must grow and begin to buy from those producers of food that are enlightened to healthy food production both for the planet's sake as well as our own health and the health of our family.
Furthermore, we must reframe our notion of ownership. We own nothing in this world, and that doesn't mean we develop a communist system that runs the show. It means we share space with others and with the larger world of Nature. We all live on one planet and that planet is shared by an infinite variety of life. Yet, that life is interdependent. The fact is without plants we would have no oxygen and without mammals like us the plants would have no carbon dioxide to convert to oxygen. As Lovelock's Gaia Hypothesis states, the Earth is a living organism that operates in much the same manner that your body operates. Yet, we have become like a fetus that has gotten hold of a knife and is stabbing at its mother's body. And what happens when he hits an artery? The Mother dies as does the fetus. Is that what you want for yourself, your children or the children walking about your neighborhood?
If not, what's your plan?
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