Food Purity In The Film 'The Botany Of Desire'
The Fight for Food Purity
Economic Botany
September 29, 2013
Michael Pollan’s film, The Botany of Desire, opened my eyes to the complicated relationship between people and plants. Pollan opened up with the following statement: “Flowers. Trees. Plants. We 've always thought that we controlled them. But what if, in fact, they have been shaping us?” (Pollan, PBS) I paused the film and took a few minutes to let this soak in. I was always under the impression that we were manipulating plants to our benefit only. I never thought that the plants were gaining something as well. The narrator explains, “The Botany of Desire examines this relationship by telling the stories of four plants that ensured their survival …show more content…
and expanded their habitat by satisfying our most basic yearnings. Connecting basic human desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control with the plants that satisfy them – the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato – The Botany of Desire aims to show that we humans don 't stand outside the web of nature; we are very much a part of it.” (Pollan, PBS)
I believe that being a component of this complex web of nature gives us great responsibility. We must help the plant grow and prosper, while allowing the plant the opportunity of becoming more diverse. Farmers should avoid pesticides and harsh chemicals on their fields. Consumers should not have to worry about the harmful effects of genetically modified foods. We must aim for a more organic, pure approach in our farming, so that we may sustain healthier generations for years to come. Chapter four in the film, The Botany of Desire, Pollan describes our relationship with the potato. The potato is a plant that yields an abundant amount of food per acre. (Pollan, PBS) This crop has not only thrived but has expanded its habitat by appealing to our desire to exert a certain level of control over our environment. (Pollan, PBS) Agriculturists have become experts on growing this abundant crop, and sustaining populations all over the world. I cannot think of a single culture or ethnic group that does not use the potato in their cuisine. This has forced scientists to alter this crop by genetically engineering a better potato. (Pollan, PBS) Genetic engineering comprises a set of modern biology techniques used to manipulate an organism 's genetic make-up by introducing, modifying or eliminating specific genes (Batista & Oliveira, 2009). Genetic engineering allows gene transfer between unrelated species. As a result, a genetically engineered organism (GEO) contains additional, or modified, characteristics encoded by the introduced genes (Batista & Oliveira, 2009).
The Botany of Desire gave me insight into a genetically modified organism named the New Leaf potato.
Monsanto, a massive agricultural company, introduced this new breed of potato in 1995. This modified potato contained a gene from a soil bacterium that was inserted into the potato’s DNA. This gene helped to kill the Colorado potato beetle without the use of pesticide sprays. Public concern for the New Leaf potato began to grow. Fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King, quietly urged their French-fry suppliers to stop using the genetically modified potato. People didn’t like the idea of eating something that they thought was so unnatural. The New Leaf potato was quickly taken off the market and farmers were forced to stop growing them. This is an excellent example of what can happen when consumers are aware of what they eat. Ingredient lists on the back of most all foods show that the food we eat now contains some type of genetically modified organism. I believe that we must give the public the information they need to truly understand what they are eating. If most people knew what was in their food, they probably wouldn’t eat it. A massive public outcry against unnatural food modification is exactly what we need to stop these biotechnology giants from producing genetically engineered
food.
Some may claim that genetically modified foods are the solution to feeding our ever-growing population. I believe we must explore other options. A study published in The Food & Chemical Toxicology Journal in August of 2012 caught my attention. The study looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto’s genetically modified corn. The study showed that eating genetically modified corn (GMO corn) caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. (Séralini, et al, 2012) Researchers found that rats fed genetically engineered corn faced 2 to 3 times more large tumors than the control group. Females developed mammary and pituitary gland tumors, suffered pituitary gland abnormalities and hormone disruption Male rats also developed tumors, but in particular experienced serious kidney and liver damage. Finally 50% of males and 70% of females died prematurely compared to 30% and 20% respectively in the control groups. (Séralini, et al, 2012) Figure two shows female mammary gland tumors in rats fed genetically modified corn.
Figure Two: (Séralini, et al, 2012)
This new study is shocking to say the least. The study fed these rats NK603, the Monsanto variety of GMO corn that 's grown across North America and widely fed to animals and humans. (Séralini, et al, 2012) This is the same corn that is in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips. We must find new ways to grow food that does not involve genetically modifying crops. The Botany of Desire also describes the Irish Potato Famine. The Irish mostly grew one single type of potato, the Lumper. The potato was grown in a monoculture. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a monoculture is the cultivation or growth of a single crop on agricultural land. This practice does not allow for genetic diversity. This genetic uniformity made the Irish potato susceptible to biological pests and nearly wiped out the entire supply of potatoes. (Pollan, PBS) Once a pest learns to manipulate a certain crop, it becomes an expert at it. It then can adapt and destroy an entire field if that is the only crop present. If there were variation in the field, such issues would rarely transpire. The crop failures were caused by late blight, a disease that destroys both the leaves and the edible roots, or tubers, of the potato plant. The causative agent of late blight is the water mold Phytophthora infestans. The Irish Potato Famine was the worst famine to occur in Europe in the 19th century. (Mokyr, 2013) The famine was so brutal that it killed one out of every eight people in Ireland. (Pollan, PBS) We should take what we learned from the Irish, and make sure that monocultures do not exist. Biodiversity is extremely important when growing any type of crop. Industrial methods of agriculture are not the solution to feeding a large amount of people. Biological pests will learn to adapt and resist pesticides in monocultures. If famers are forced to grow crops organically, they will encourage higher amounts of genetic diversity and will ultimately save money on pesticides and large amounts of chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “the use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture is the most widespread method for pest control. Farmers spend approximately $4.1 billion on pesticides annually.” (EPA) They believe that this high cost is worth the benefit of keeping pests away from their crops, but the use of pesticides and chemicals is detrimental to our health. Cases of acute pesticide poisoning (APP) account for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in developing countries. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) Pesticides are a group of chemicals used predominantly in agriculture and against vectors in vector-borne diseases such as malaria. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) Pesticides may have some benefits but there are certain undesirable and unwanted effects that must not be ignored. Figure one shows the available estimates of pesticide poisoning data and summarizes the overall public health impact of pesticides. (Jeyaratnam, 1990)
Figure One: (Jeyaratnam, 1990)
Research, conducted primarily in industrialized countries, has emphasized the health consequences of exposure to pesticides, including reproductive health impacts and the occurrence of cancer. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) According to the Pesticide Safety education program, at Cornell University, symptoms of severe or acute pesticide poisoning include fever, intense thirst, increased rate of breathing, vomiting, uncontrollable muscle twitches, pinpoint pupils, convulsions, inability to breathe, unconsciousness. We must push farmers to work without pesticides so that we may avoid these adverse health effects. In conclusion, the film, The Botany of Desire, forced me to look at the over industrialization of our food in America. Nutrition should be a main focus in this country. We need to steer our youth away from processed genetically modified foods, and into farms with fresh organic produce. There are numerous scientific studies that show that pesticides and GMOs are detrimental to our overall health. We must fight for food purity for all. Think about what our future would look like in a world full of genetically modified foods. I believe that people would be plagued with cancer, and even die premature deaths. I know I do not want my children to live in a world with harmful food.
References
Agricultural Pesticides. Environmental Protection Agency. Web Accessed. http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/croppesticideuse.html Batista, R; Maria Margarida Oliveira. “Facts and fiction of genetically engineered food”
Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 27, Issue 5, May 2009, Pages 277–286 http://dx.doi.org.librarylink.uncc.edu/10.1016/j.tibtech.2009.01.005 Available online 25 March 2009
Mokyr, J. "Irish Potato Famine." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica
Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 29 Sep. 2013. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/294137/Irish-Potato-Famine Séralini, G.-E., et al. “Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize.” Food Chem. Toxicol. (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.005
The Botany of Desire. Michael Schwarz. Distributed by PBS, 2009 Film. Web. 29
Septermber 2013. http://video.pbs.org/video/1283872815/
Economic Botany
September 29, 2013
Michael Pollan’s film, The Botany of Desire, opened my eyes to the complicated relationship between people and plants. Pollan opened up with the following statement: “Flowers. Trees. Plants. We 've always thought that we controlled them. But what if, in fact, they have been shaping us?” (Pollan, PBS) I paused the film and took a few minutes to let this soak in. I was always under the impression that we were manipulating plants to our benefit only. I never thought that the plants were gaining something as well. The narrator explains, “The Botany of Desire examines this relationship by telling the stories of four plants that ensured their survival …show more content…
and expanded their habitat by satisfying our most basic yearnings. Connecting basic human desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control with the plants that satisfy them – the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato – The Botany of Desire aims to show that we humans don 't stand outside the web of nature; we are very much a part of it.” (Pollan, PBS)
I believe that being a component of this complex web of nature gives us great responsibility. We must help the plant grow and prosper, while allowing the plant the opportunity of becoming more diverse. Farmers should avoid pesticides and harsh chemicals on their fields. Consumers should not have to worry about the harmful effects of genetically modified foods. We must aim for a more organic, pure approach in our farming, so that we may sustain healthier generations for years to come. Chapter four in the film, The Botany of Desire, Pollan describes our relationship with the potato. The potato is a plant that yields an abundant amount of food per acre. (Pollan, PBS) This crop has not only thrived but has expanded its habitat by appealing to our desire to exert a certain level of control over our environment. (Pollan, PBS) Agriculturists have become experts on growing this abundant crop, and sustaining populations all over the world. I cannot think of a single culture or ethnic group that does not use the potato in their cuisine. This has forced scientists to alter this crop by genetically engineering a better potato. (Pollan, PBS) Genetic engineering comprises a set of modern biology techniques used to manipulate an organism 's genetic make-up by introducing, modifying or eliminating specific genes (Batista & Oliveira, 2009). Genetic engineering allows gene transfer between unrelated species. As a result, a genetically engineered organism (GEO) contains additional, or modified, characteristics encoded by the introduced genes (Batista & Oliveira, 2009).
The Botany of Desire gave me insight into a genetically modified organism named the New Leaf potato.
Monsanto, a massive agricultural company, introduced this new breed of potato in 1995. This modified potato contained a gene from a soil bacterium that was inserted into the potato’s DNA. This gene helped to kill the Colorado potato beetle without the use of pesticide sprays. Public concern for the New Leaf potato began to grow. Fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King, quietly urged their French-fry suppliers to stop using the genetically modified potato. People didn’t like the idea of eating something that they thought was so unnatural. The New Leaf potato was quickly taken off the market and farmers were forced to stop growing them. This is an excellent example of what can happen when consumers are aware of what they eat. Ingredient lists on the back of most all foods show that the food we eat now contains some type of genetically modified organism. I believe that we must give the public the information they need to truly understand what they are eating. If most people knew what was in their food, they probably wouldn’t eat it. A massive public outcry against unnatural food modification is exactly what we need to stop these biotechnology giants from producing genetically engineered
food.
Some may claim that genetically modified foods are the solution to feeding our ever-growing population. I believe we must explore other options. A study published in The Food & Chemical Toxicology Journal in August of 2012 caught my attention. The study looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto’s genetically modified corn. The study showed that eating genetically modified corn (GMO corn) caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. (Séralini, et al, 2012) Researchers found that rats fed genetically engineered corn faced 2 to 3 times more large tumors than the control group. Females developed mammary and pituitary gland tumors, suffered pituitary gland abnormalities and hormone disruption Male rats also developed tumors, but in particular experienced serious kidney and liver damage. Finally 50% of males and 70% of females died prematurely compared to 30% and 20% respectively in the control groups. (Séralini, et al, 2012) Figure two shows female mammary gland tumors in rats fed genetically modified corn.
Figure Two: (Séralini, et al, 2012)
This new study is shocking to say the least. The study fed these rats NK603, the Monsanto variety of GMO corn that 's grown across North America and widely fed to animals and humans. (Séralini, et al, 2012) This is the same corn that is in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips. We must find new ways to grow food that does not involve genetically modifying crops. The Botany of Desire also describes the Irish Potato Famine. The Irish mostly grew one single type of potato, the Lumper. The potato was grown in a monoculture. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a monoculture is the cultivation or growth of a single crop on agricultural land. This practice does not allow for genetic diversity. This genetic uniformity made the Irish potato susceptible to biological pests and nearly wiped out the entire supply of potatoes. (Pollan, PBS) Once a pest learns to manipulate a certain crop, it becomes an expert at it. It then can adapt and destroy an entire field if that is the only crop present. If there were variation in the field, such issues would rarely transpire. The crop failures were caused by late blight, a disease that destroys both the leaves and the edible roots, or tubers, of the potato plant. The causative agent of late blight is the water mold Phytophthora infestans. The Irish Potato Famine was the worst famine to occur in Europe in the 19th century. (Mokyr, 2013) The famine was so brutal that it killed one out of every eight people in Ireland. (Pollan, PBS) We should take what we learned from the Irish, and make sure that monocultures do not exist. Biodiversity is extremely important when growing any type of crop. Industrial methods of agriculture are not the solution to feeding a large amount of people. Biological pests will learn to adapt and resist pesticides in monocultures. If famers are forced to grow crops organically, they will encourage higher amounts of genetic diversity and will ultimately save money on pesticides and large amounts of chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “the use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture is the most widespread method for pest control. Farmers spend approximately $4.1 billion on pesticides annually.” (EPA) They believe that this high cost is worth the benefit of keeping pests away from their crops, but the use of pesticides and chemicals is detrimental to our health. Cases of acute pesticide poisoning (APP) account for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in developing countries. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) Pesticides are a group of chemicals used predominantly in agriculture and against vectors in vector-borne diseases such as malaria. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) Pesticides may have some benefits but there are certain undesirable and unwanted effects that must not be ignored. Figure one shows the available estimates of pesticide poisoning data and summarizes the overall public health impact of pesticides. (Jeyaratnam, 1990)
Figure One: (Jeyaratnam, 1990)
Research, conducted primarily in industrialized countries, has emphasized the health consequences of exposure to pesticides, including reproductive health impacts and the occurrence of cancer. (Jeyaratnam, 1990) According to the Pesticide Safety education program, at Cornell University, symptoms of severe or acute pesticide poisoning include fever, intense thirst, increased rate of breathing, vomiting, uncontrollable muscle twitches, pinpoint pupils, convulsions, inability to breathe, unconsciousness. We must push farmers to work without pesticides so that we may avoid these adverse health effects. In conclusion, the film, The Botany of Desire, forced me to look at the over industrialization of our food in America. Nutrition should be a main focus in this country. We need to steer our youth away from processed genetically modified foods, and into farms with fresh organic produce. There are numerous scientific studies that show that pesticides and GMOs are detrimental to our overall health. We must fight for food purity for all. Think about what our future would look like in a world full of genetically modified foods. I believe that people would be plagued with cancer, and even die premature deaths. I know I do not want my children to live in a world with harmful food.
References
Agricultural Pesticides. Environmental Protection Agency. Web Accessed. http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/croppesticideuse.html Batista, R; Maria Margarida Oliveira. “Facts and fiction of genetically engineered food”
Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 27, Issue 5, May 2009, Pages 277–286 http://dx.doi.org.librarylink.uncc.edu/10.1016/j.tibtech.2009.01.005 Available online 25 March 2009
Mokyr, J. "Irish Potato Famine." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica
Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 29 Sep. 2013. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/294137/Irish-Potato-Famine Séralini, G.-E., et al. “Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize.” Food Chem. Toxicol. (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.005
The Botany of Desire. Michael Schwarz. Distributed by PBS, 2009 Film. Web. 29
Septermber 2013. http://video.pbs.org/video/1283872815/