Genetic modification, plastic packages and boycotting
Is it true that common items such as ketchup and my kids’ breakfast cereal can contain genetically modified organisms? What does that mean?
In short, genetic modification is gene splicing — taking the gene of one organism and planting it into another. What that means for us depends on whom you ask.
Proponents will tell you modification means a solution to world hunger and crops that can withstand extreme weather conditions and require fewer pesticides. Opponents will argue that genetically modified crops could usher in an era of virulent strains of new viruses, pests or weeds. Furthermore, genetically modified organisms can enter the ecosystem, altering it in ways we can’t foresee. What’s more, eco experts argue, modified food hasn’t been effectively tested. They point to the European Union, Japan, Hungary, Brazil and other countries that allow genetically modified crops only in limited amounts — and they must be labelled as such.
Genetic modification is effectively uncharted territory, and therein lies the rub. While most North American consumers say they want genetically modified food labelled, many are unaware that they’re likely already eating it. New York’s Cornell University, which runs the Genetically Engineered Organisms Public Issues Education Project, estimates that at least 60 to 70 per cent of processed foods contain at least one ingredient from a genetically engineered plant — mostly because corn and soy, two primary ingredients, are largely genetically modified. And it’s about to get harder to avoid. The first genetically modified sugar beet crops were planted this past summer, in anticipation of providing vast amounts of genetically modified sugar to companies.
To avoid genetically modified foods, you can buy certified organic. Organic certification prohibits the use of genetically modified seed or feed. Take a pass on processed and packaged foods. And visit truefoodnow.org for its shoppers’ guide on brands that are genetically modified organism-free.
What can I do about products with excessive packaging?
There are a few things you can do, according to Daniel Imhoff, the California-based author of Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World. Imhoff recommends you support products that minimize waste or use containers with high post-consumer recycled content. Some state right on the package that they are made with post-consumer plastic or waste. More aggressive folk than I say they remove products from their packages at the cash register and leave the waste for the staff to deal with, which gives stores incentive to press suppliers to reduce packaging. You could mail the packaging back to the company — COD. Again, it’s important to let companies know you’re willing to put your money behind products that are packaged responsibly.
I’d like to boycott a certain company but don’t want to end up hurting the workers.
Boycotts can simply be a knee-jerk reaction to deeply entrenched problems. We hear of a company’s less than ethical practices and we want to punish it by not giving it our money. While I support voting with our dollars — indeed, we have considerable power in our wallets — unorganized boycotts frequently hurt the already exploited workers more than the CEOs.
However, a well-organized and widespread boycott can sufficiently embarrass a company enough to prompt positive change. If you’re serious — and have the staying power to boycott a particular company (these campaigns often take years) — download the Boycott Organizers Guide at coopamerica.org. You can join any number of boycotts already underway.
If the company you take issue with isn’t already part of an organized boycott, arm yourself with the facts about its business practices to ensure your concerns are legitimate. Gather as many supporters as you can and be as vocal as possible. The effects of boycotts have less to do with a company’s bottom line than with its public face, particularly in this era of enlightened CEOs.
This article originally appeared in the December 2008/January 2009 issue of More
