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Luz Vazquez

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1103

26 September 2019

How are GMOs Helpful?

Introduction/Overview

What are GMOs? What does GMO stand for ? Most people don’t know the answer to

those questions, but they never fail to answer with responses like “ I’m not sure but I know they

are bad for us.” Genetically Modified Organisms are organisms whose genetic material has been

altered. Obviously that sounds a little terrifying but what is the true reason why people are scared

of GMOs when they know nothing about them. In a video done by Jimmy Kimmel, he had his

crew go out in public asking people if they avoid eating GMO foods and why. Then they would

proceed by asking them what GMO stood for. Only one out of eleven people interviewed knew

what GMO stood for. I will be informing people about how food is not the only organism that is

being genetically modified, there are other organisms that we don’t consume being genetically

modified to help the environment. Before that I will be providing people with the answer to what

a GMO is and reasons as to way they are not what they are advertised to be.

While the words “genetically modified” does sound scary, it simply means that

something was modified in order to be more efficient. GMOs are engineered for many reasons.

Reasons include making the organism resistant to a certain insect or virus, thus reducing the use

of pesticides. Scientist make organisms that help with environmental problems that we have
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caused over the years. They also modified organism to satisfy the demands of the growing

population.

For example, dairy cattle are injected with Recombinant Bovine Growth hormone. Which

is a man-made hormone that allows the cows to produce more milk. This allows farmers to meet

the demands of milk. The only “problem” is that the public has some reservations about it. They

believe that those hormones are going to affect their kids and make them begin puberty earlier.

While these claims are completely false and milk producers make sure the public knows by

putting a statement on milk jug labels saying that the hormones will not affect us, we are still

misinformed.

Corn, cabbage, plums and rice are some examples of Genetically modified foods. They

were modified to be resistant to specific viruses or insects. What that ultimately results in is, in a

reduced amount of pesticide usage. Pesticides have been known to contaminate our water

sources and are not safe for human consumption. The less farmers have to spray their crops with

pesticides, our water sources won’t get contaminated.

What really fascinates me is that people will be against something that know nothing

about. People automatically assume that GMOs are foods that can be consumed when that is not

the case. Scientists at the University of Washington are genetically modifying trees that will

absorb groundwater and break the pollutants down into a harmless byproduct. People get so

worried about how GMOs are going to affect them they don't think about GMOs that have the

potential to help the planet. In another research scientists are working on modifying trees and

plants that can help absorb even more carbon into their roots, which will allow the carbon to stay

within the plant for many centuries rather than weeks or years.
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GMOs have been approved since 1994 and there still isn’t any real facts about the risk of

eating or using GMOs only speculations. From dairy cows that produce more milk to the trees

and plants that have the potential to clean groundwater without producing any harmful

byproducts and reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Inquiry Question

How are GMOs beneficial to us and the environment?

My Interest in this Topic

I’m interested in Genetically Modified Organisms because I think it’s really interesting

how people are so misinformed. My goal is not to make people go Pro GMOs but rather make

them more interested and more knowledgeable about them. I used to not know much about

GMOs until I took Agriscience. There I learned more about GMOs with somewhat of a bias

opinion on them. I know the basic knowledge of GMOs. I know about trees that help remove

pollutants in groundwater, and the trees that grow faster and can produce better wood. I know

about the Recombinant Bovine Growth hormone injected into dairy cows to produce more milk.

The cabbage that no longer needs pesticides because it can fight its own battle. I know that there

have been some laws put out against GMOs and that has resulted in people continuing to fear

them.

I hope to learn why people don’t do their own research and learn more about GMOs. I

also hope to learn more about other possible organisms being modified to help the environment

not just in groundwater pollution but also air pollution. I hope to learn about all the benefits that

can come from GMOs.

Next Steps
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In the next steps I want to be able to provide more information about how GMOs are not

just food we consume. I will go about doing this by using University research form universities

around the U.S. Also using certain news source that don’t just focus on food that's been

genetically modified. News that contradicts my opinion that has only speculations to back it up.