Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
GM crops cause 'breakdown' in Indian farming systems
GM crops cause 'breakdown' in Indian farming systems
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Published: 25 March 2007
Genetically modified crops have helped cause a "complete breakdown" in farming systems in India, an authoritative new study suggests.
The study threatens to deal a fatal blow to probably the most powerful argument left in the biotech industry's armoury, that it can help to bring prosperity to the Third World.
Professor Glenn Davis Stone, professor of anthropology and environmental studies at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, has spent more than 40 weeks on the ground in the biotech industry's prime Developing World showcase, the Warangal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The industry claims that local farmers have adopted GM cotton faster than any other agriculture technology in history. It argued at the prestigious Biovision conference in Lyon this month that the rapid spread proves that the technology is working for farmers.
Professor Stone's study, published in the February issue of the journal Current Anthropology, demolishes this argument. Extensive interviews with the farmers proved that they are plumping for the GM seeds because they are new, hyped and locally fashionable, without having time to see if they produce better crops.
"There is a rapidity of change that farmers just can't keep up with," he says. "They aren't able to digest new technologies as they come along."
He adds that the rapid uptake "reflects the complete breakdown in the cotton cultivation system".
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Published: 25 March 2007
Genetically modified crops have helped cause a "complete breakdown" in farming systems in India, an authoritative new study suggests.
The study threatens to deal a fatal blow to probably the most powerful argument left in the biotech industry's armoury, that it can help to bring prosperity to the Third World.
Professor Glenn Davis Stone, professor of anthropology and environmental studies at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, has spent more than 40 weeks on the ground in the biotech industry's prime Developing World showcase, the Warangal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The industry claims that local farmers have adopted GM cotton faster than any other agriculture technology in history. It argued at the prestigious Biovision conference in Lyon this month that the rapid spread proves that the technology is working for farmers.
Professor Stone's study, published in the February issue of the journal Current Anthropology, demolishes this argument. Extensive interviews with the farmers proved that they are plumping for the GM seeds because they are new, hyped and locally fashionable, without having time to see if they produce better crops.
"There is a rapidity of change that farmers just can't keep up with," he says. "They aren't able to digest new technologies as they come along."
He adds that the rapid uptake "reflects the complete breakdown in the cotton cultivation system".
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Genetically Engineered Foods
Click on the above title to link to listing of foods that are free of GE products and those that are not.
GE foods are simply a bad idea at this point. Yes, there is some potential there if there were ways that we could ensure their safety. The problem is, it turns the food supply into a giant experiment and that experiment includes its effects upon you and I, and the rest of the biosphere. Why does mankind always seem to ignore the risks for short term profit potential?
Click here to learn more about genetically engineered foods.
GE foods are simply a bad idea at this point. Yes, there is some potential there if there were ways that we could ensure their safety. The problem is, it turns the food supply into a giant experiment and that experiment includes its effects upon you and I, and the rest of the biosphere. Why does mankind always seem to ignore the risks for short term profit potential?
Click here to learn more about genetically engineered foods.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Albert Einstein's stance on war
He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, science for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable an ignorable war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder." (Albert Einstein)
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Thinking about our food
Listen to Kim Hill interview Michael Holland, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" click here
Holland is former editor of Harper's Magazine. His book and this interview help us to begin thinking about our food, and where it comes from.
Holland is former editor of Harper's Magazine. His book and this interview help us to begin thinking about our food, and where it comes from.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
United States - Republic or Empire
click here
an overview of the economic basis of the United States' war machine, the concentration of power in the executive branch and the factors that are most likely to decide the fate of this once great nation as it continues to drive towards imperialism at the risk of democracy. The tremendous clarity in this article makes it, in my opinion, required reading.
What does this have to do with Sustainable Development? - everything. An understanding of the political and economic lay of the land will assist in a SD design which takes these factors into account as much as possible. For eg. the repercussions of whatever is happening in the U.S. will have profound direct impact on Canada. The fallout from the unsustainable path that the U.S. has committed itself to (and Canada, largely as an extension of the U.S- and yes, it hurts to say that!) suggests that S.D. must include, as much as possible, support from an entire community, for it to withstand the pressures exerted upon it by the dominant system in demise. This broad support can help create a transition that provides for basic needs of a population and resists a freefall collapse of a society unprepared.
an overview of the economic basis of the United States' war machine, the concentration of power in the executive branch and the factors that are most likely to decide the fate of this once great nation as it continues to drive towards imperialism at the risk of democracy. The tremendous clarity in this article makes it, in my opinion, required reading.
What does this have to do with Sustainable Development? - everything. An understanding of the political and economic lay of the land will assist in a SD design which takes these factors into account as much as possible. For eg. the repercussions of whatever is happening in the U.S. will have profound direct impact on Canada. The fallout from the unsustainable path that the U.S. has committed itself to (and Canada, largely as an extension of the U.S- and yes, it hurts to say that!) suggests that S.D. must include, as much as possible, support from an entire community, for it to withstand the pressures exerted upon it by the dominant system in demise. This broad support can help create a transition that provides for basic needs of a population and resists a freefall collapse of a society unprepared.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Stephane Dion - a Bilderberg
Doesn't it just suck to take a position, only to discover that you are probably wrong in a matter of a few days. I was kind 0f excited at the prospect of Stephane Dion as the next Prime Minister of Canada, only to discover he is a Bilderberg member. This means he is an elitist, and believes in the dismantling of the sovereignty of Canada. Too bad.
His "Clarity Act" which he wrote in response to the Quebec separatist movement, is used as proof he is a "hardline federalist". The article below (click on the link "North American...") suggests the opposite (see near the end of the article)
I'll try and keep an open mind until I finish reading David Orchard's book "The Fight for Canada", and understand Orchard's perspective on Dion better.
I'll try and keep an open mind until I finish reading David Orchard's book "The Fight for Canada", and understand Orchard's perspective on Dion better.
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