Are you concerned enough about GMOs in our food supply to take action? You should be. Genetically modified organisms are a sickening monstrosity created by some of the most scheming and corrupt multi-national corporations which, along with the help of the federal government, are perpetrating massive biopiracy on a global scale.
Here is a partial list of some of plants with GM varieties which are either currently being cultivated and sold or under field trial:
apples cherries cranberries grapefruit kiwi melons papaya pears peanuts walnuts flax peanuts walnuts flax sunflower sunflower persimmons pineapple plum strawberries bell peppers cabbage carrots cauliflower corn cucumber lettuce mustard olives onions peas potato radish squash sweet potato tomato (cherry) watercres barley beans soybeans coffee popcorn lentils oats rice sugar wheat peanuts walnuts flax sunflower
from www.seedsofdeception.com/Publi...ex.cfm
Currently Commercialized GM Crops in the U.S.
Soy (85%), cotton (76%), canola (75%), corn (40%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (small amount), and tobacco (Quest® brand).
Given the prevalence (85%) of GM soy in the US, the likelihood that the soy products in restaurants which do not guarantee that they are using organic foods contain GMOs is high. I recently went to Japantown and queried every restaurant in the main mall. Not one of them was able to verify that the soy or rice products they use come from non GM plants. Even scarier than this was the fact that of all the restaurants to which I spoke to staff, only one person seemed to even comprehend what GMOs are or why they might be a concern. Given this, I am now totally avoiding all restaurants which cannot guarantee organic ingredients. I will not eat at many of the asian restaurants in SF which serve great vegan dishes - so many thai, vietnamese, and chinese places - because I can assure you that not only will most of them not be able to guarantee that their foods do not contain GMOs, most of them are probably totally unaware of the issue.
To me this screams out the dire need to start a concerted grassroots campaign in our communities to raise awareness about GMOs. One thing I have to guide me is experience at having been an active member of a local Greenpeace group in Germany which engaged in fairly regular information-awareness events in the community.
Greenpeace Germany regularly publishes a buying guide de.einkaufsnetz.org/gentechn...0588.html called "Essen ohne Gentechnik" (Eating without Gene Technology), an excellent pamplet updated regulary with comprehensive lists of food products rated according to their ingredients. Due to its wide availability and the dedication of thousands of volunteers in local Greenpeace groups across Germany this little pamphlet has had a major impact on the buying habits of people in Germany. I should note that the organization of Greenpeace in Germany is fundamentally different than in the USA. Here it almost seems like a corporation. When you call the Greenpeace number you get a customer service rep and feel like you're paying your phone bill. In Germany, it is comprised of thousands of community-based groups which are very active and lively, widely visible in their communities, and highly respected.
But Greenpeace USA does seem to be publishing a site truefoodnow.org which also has a guide: www.truefoodnow.org/shoppers...able.html
Material is out there but more needs to be done. For example, today I went shopping at a Whole Foods near me to buy guacamole but none of the products they carried stated that their ingredients were organic. Does that mean the olive oil, tomato, or onions listed in their ingredients are GM varieties? They very well could be. Whole Foods seems to be making no attempt to guarantee consumers that the products they carry do not contain GMOs.
I would like to get back into action here in the US. At a very minimum, I would like to spend a few hours every month distributing consumer information and educating the public. It feels like a crime to not be doing anything. Anyone who is interested please contact me so we can plan to take action.
Here is a partial list of some of plants with GM varieties which are either currently being cultivated and sold or under field trial:
apples cherries cranberries grapefruit kiwi melons papaya pears peanuts walnuts flax peanuts walnuts flax sunflower sunflower persimmons pineapple plum strawberries bell peppers cabbage carrots cauliflower corn cucumber lettuce mustard olives onions peas potato radish squash sweet potato tomato (cherry) watercres barley beans soybeans coffee popcorn lentils oats rice sugar wheat peanuts walnuts flax sunflower
from www.seedsofdeception.com/Publi...ex.cfm
Currently Commercialized GM Crops in the U.S.
Soy (85%), cotton (76%), canola (75%), corn (40%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (small amount), and tobacco (Quest® brand).
Given the prevalence (85%) of GM soy in the US, the likelihood that the soy products in restaurants which do not guarantee that they are using organic foods contain GMOs is high. I recently went to Japantown and queried every restaurant in the main mall. Not one of them was able to verify that the soy or rice products they use come from non GM plants. Even scarier than this was the fact that of all the restaurants to which I spoke to staff, only one person seemed to even comprehend what GMOs are or why they might be a concern. Given this, I am now totally avoiding all restaurants which cannot guarantee organic ingredients. I will not eat at many of the asian restaurants in SF which serve great vegan dishes - so many thai, vietnamese, and chinese places - because I can assure you that not only will most of them not be able to guarantee that their foods do not contain GMOs, most of them are probably totally unaware of the issue.
To me this screams out the dire need to start a concerted grassroots campaign in our communities to raise awareness about GMOs. One thing I have to guide me is experience at having been an active member of a local Greenpeace group in Germany which engaged in fairly regular information-awareness events in the community.
Greenpeace Germany regularly publishes a buying guide de.einkaufsnetz.org/gentechn...0588.html called "Essen ohne Gentechnik" (Eating without Gene Technology), an excellent pamplet updated regulary with comprehensive lists of food products rated according to their ingredients. Due to its wide availability and the dedication of thousands of volunteers in local Greenpeace groups across Germany this little pamphlet has had a major impact on the buying habits of people in Germany. I should note that the organization of Greenpeace in Germany is fundamentally different than in the USA. Here it almost seems like a corporation. When you call the Greenpeace number you get a customer service rep and feel like you're paying your phone bill. In Germany, it is comprised of thousands of community-based groups which are very active and lively, widely visible in their communities, and highly respected.
But Greenpeace USA does seem to be publishing a site truefoodnow.org which also has a guide: www.truefoodnow.org/shoppers...able.html
Material is out there but more needs to be done. For example, today I went shopping at a Whole Foods near me to buy guacamole but none of the products they carried stated that their ingredients were organic. Does that mean the olive oil, tomato, or onions listed in their ingredients are GM varieties? They very well could be. Whole Foods seems to be making no attempt to guarantee consumers that the products they carry do not contain GMOs.
I would like to get back into action here in the US. At a very minimum, I would like to spend a few hours every month distributing consumer information and educating the public. It feels like a crime to not be doing anything. Anyone who is interested please contact me so we can plan to take action.
