Herbicide

May Cuse Allergies, 2010). The simplified human-maintained ecosystems of today caused the removal of the natural forces that historically kept diseases and pests in check (Mackenzie, 2011). Genetic engineering was intended to introduce traits for herbicide resistance and the expression of a bacterial-derived insect toxin. Additional benefits included influencing more desirable growth rates and a substantial increase in crop yields (Prakash, n.d.). The majority of genetically modified…

INTRODUCTION Environmental health as defined by the World Health Organization document of 1999 are the aspects of the human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment. It also involves the practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially and affect health. Environmental health also includes both the direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects on health and wellbeing of the broad…

Introduction Chemistry is one of the broadest scientific subjects that are primarily focused on the manner in which matter interacts with energy. However, chemistry tends to be more focused on the study of the properties of matter as well as the interaction between various types of matter. The interaction is often facilitated by the reactions that involve either electron loss or electron gain, as described by the American Chemical Society (2014). Unlike other sciences, such as physics, chemistry…

Since the beginning of agriculture, humans have exploited and altered the genetic information in plants and animals to create new biological variations through artificial selection and crossbreeding. The main difference between genetic engineering and traditional breeding methods is that genetic engineering allows for us to isolate, copy, turn on, and introduce genes into other organisms. (Jones) This is done by identifying the gene of interests, isolating that trait, inserting that trait into a…

Where do these fruits and vegetables come from? Most people would answer “They are grown on a farm of course!” Which indeed is true, but thinking beyond that, most produce starts off as just a tiny seedling. So going back to the question… fruits and veggies come from seeds which are produced and distributed by agribusiness corporations like Monsanto. In their article ‘Why Does Monsanto Sue Farmers Who Save Seeds?’ Monsanto; one of the first agribusiness corporations, defends the company’s…

Genetically modified cash crops such as soybeans, canola, cotton, and corn are in demand by farmers. Genetically engineered seeds have many benefits. For example, they make changes designed to increase a crop's resistance to insects, tolerance to herbicides, heat, cold, or drought and increased crop yield. Scientists also have the ability to…

In The Botany of Desire; A Plant’s Eye View of the World, Michael Pollan explores the co-evolutionary relationship between humans and plants. In four chapters, he discusses the four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—through the plants that satisfy these desires: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. More specifically, in the Potato chapter, Pollan discusses the associated human desire for control that links us with the potato. Pollan interjects a…

With more research and labeling of GMOs, the country could become more accepting of this new development in agriculture. This would be a benefit for everyone. GM crops are both easier to grow and more efficient. They can be resistant to pests, herbicides, drought and disease (Whitman). Most farmers lose a huge quantity of money to crops that fail because they lack resistance like this. However, GM crops have a lot less of these problems because that is how they were made. The cost of production…

promoting our garbage solution by recycling. Waste receptacles are provided for recycling paper, glass, metals, and plastics. Land pollution also includes nuclear soil contamination, and farming chemicals. When a farmer sprays chemicals such as herbicides and fertilizers on their crops and it rains the chemicals in the soil and on the plants then run off of them contaminating the groundwater. Unfortunately, now creating yet another form of pollution known as water…

economic interests. One of the biggest reasons that people are moving away from store-bought produce to home-grown or wild foods is the health benefits. Food that comes from a supermarket has generally been covered in a combination of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. One example of this is the corn crops that we see every day. Then the food is processed, shipped, handled and are subject to infection by many types of diseases and viruses, such as Salmonella (“The Food Production…