A message from the organic food comunity...

Posted by: Lucid Warrior

A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/19/06 12:11 PM

Funny vid- http://www.storewars.org/flash/
But what do you guys think? I got a lot of mixed reactions on another board about organic foods. Is organic food really healthier and worth the money? Or does it just rape the soil of nutrients and yeild less dietary nutrients per dollar?
Posted by: JoelM

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/19/06 12:25 PM

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

I haven't seen enough real evidence either way. People say organic tastes better but I guess I just don't have that discerning of taste buds.

I'd be interested in any scientific evidence on the harm of consuming GMOs and such.
Posted by: Cord

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/19/06 04:55 PM

Quote:

Funny vid- http://www.storewars.org/flash/
But what do you guys think? I got a lot of mixed reactions on another board about organic foods. Is organic food really healthier and worth the money? Or does it just rape the soil of nutrients and yeild less dietary nutrients per dollar?




The simple fact is that with the world population at its current level, if we all insisted on organic food, and demanded the cessation of GM crops, HYV's and pesticides, we would simply not have the land available to grow what we need. To increase arable land to accomodate the shortfall in yield, deforestation would have to increase even greater than it is at the moment, and with less hardy strains of crop, human involvement, and therefore production costs would increase. These increases would be either paid for directly by the consumer, or subsidised by the government, who would then sneak it away from us via tax hikes.

As with all environmental related issues in the world, the problems can be laid at the feet of overpopulation. 6 billion + people all wanting and needing food, water and shelter at the expense of everything else on the planet. We are a viral infection on the planet.

(Cord goes off to lsten to leonard Cohen records)
Posted by: eyrie

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/19/06 07:26 PM

Organic does taste better. Most people can't taste the difference because we're so used to consuming highly processed foods.

I think the argument about whether GM is safe or organic is better is a minor point. If you think about it, all food is GM at some level (whether naturally or artifically).

The point is what is being modified is the real issue. The big GM companies have cottoned onto the fact that if the reproduction genomes are removed, farmers are forced to buy next years' seed stock from them. The other issue is trans-genetics, where non-plant derived genomes are grafted onto crop DNA as pesticide control. Then there are issues of cross-contamination between GM crops and non-GM crops.

The argument regarding the use of GM crops to address world hunger issues, because they grow faster, requires less water or less pesticides is a furphy. Who better to test GM safety on, than 3rd world countries who have no choice?

I would hate to see the day when the whole world becomes dependent on a few large multinationals for our food supply.
Posted by: Lucid Warrior

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/19/06 11:26 PM

It's amazing to me how much more educated everyone else is on the subject compared to me.

Putting land use, politics, and overpopulation aside... Is organic food really healthier? Having no nasty additives is a plus, but are organically grown bananas and brocoli really going to be healthier, or will the nutrient level be lowered due to weak growth from lack of chemicals?

And I'm glad you enjoyed the vid JoelM
Posted by: Subedei

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/20/06 12:19 AM

Yes. Organically grown foods have been proven to dramatically lower body levels of chemicals that have been proven harmful to humans. The extent to which the concentrations in question are damaging to the human body is what will require more research.
Posted by: Cord

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/20/06 02:36 AM

Quote:

Who better to test GM safety on, than 3rd world countries who have no choice?




Well, they could overthrow their despot leaders and invest the money spent on illegal arms and militia based fear tactics on irrigation and sustainable resource initiatives; but that is possibly a bit too political a subject for this thread (Cord gives himself a warning for derailing the thread)
Posted by: MiSt

Re: A message from the organic food comunity... - 01/26/06 09:40 AM

Good video.

Its strange, I support Organic food and feel very much against the way the food industry is...and yet when it comes to it I can think of little to add to this thread.

GM food is terrible and the reasons are endless.

Firstly (and this is reason enough alone) we just don't know enough about it. Its new science..why rush into it? We have no idea on the effect GM crops could have on the environment. For example..Bees can cross-pollen, cross the effects of a GM tomato with a weed..now we have a weed that is resistant to chemicals grows faster, stronger and perhaps most inportantly is NOT in balance with nature.

We can [censored] with Nature, clone ourselves, grow dependent on Nuclear Energy etc.... and sadly it is our childrens children that will suffer the most.

But money seems to have become a moral justification in itself these days.

And on that note, with us both going all political and heavy and stuff, it is time to lock the thread, no matter how interesting such an 'off topic' thread may be. Cord.