Environmental issues. GM Foods.

 

A useful site to read about environment:

http://www.theecologist.org/    

Watch the videos and decide which one is for Genetically Modified Foods and which one is against:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9WZGKQeYg   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4149d7Rpk  

Now that we are studying genetic engineering and transgenics, the media are talking about GMF (genetically modified food)...

Watch these two videos on the following sites:

http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.carighttoknow.org/

And have a look at this article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-murphy/california-prop-37_b_1956471.html


More sites:

European Union:

http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/fruit_vegetables/

http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/

http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/processed_foods/

The Future of Food Movie Worksheet                                  Name _______________________

1. What was the green revolution?

2. What are huge fields with only one variety of crop called?

3. What is the problem with genetic uniformity (all one type of crop)?

4. What does an herbicide do?

5. What is a patent?

6. What happened to Percy the farmer?

7. How did GM Monsanto corporation seeds end up in Percy’s field?

8. What % of farmers save their seeds?

a. Bonus: Why do you think they do this?

9. What was the court’s decision against Percy?

10. What are some diseases that have been cured by biotechnology?

11. How are genes placed into corn?

12. Why are bacteria used in genetic engineering?

13. Why are antibiotic marker genes used?

14. What happened to the flavor savor tomato?

15. When did GMOs first become an issue to the public?

16. How many US government agencies are responsible for food safety?

Bonus: Name them

17. What does G.R.A.S. stand for?

18. Why aren’t American foods labeled as GMO?

19. What are some threats to crop yields (the amount of crop harvested)?

20. How are super weeds controlled?

21. Who is Linda Fisher?

22. What has happened to the number of acres planted with GM crops in the U.S. over time?

23. How did GM corn get into Mexico?

24. What do you think genetic diversity is?

25. What happened around the world to U.S. GM made crops?

26. How much money is left for a farmer after they sell their crops?

27. How do farmers stay in business when they are losing so much money?

28. What are the skill sets farmers need to survive today?

29. What happened to the rats and butterflies that ate GM crops?

30. What industries have been consolidated (controlled by a few big businesses)?

31. What is the main reason so many people around the world are starving?

32. What is one problem with international patents?

33. What is terminator technology?

34. What other organisms are being genetically engineered?

35. How will sustainable agriculture be used?

36. What has happened to the amount of money spent on organic food from 90 – 03.

37. What are some alternatives to GM crops?