Report On Collapsing Bee Populations
I'm not going to go into detail on this post because I am not a subject matter expert on genetically modified food or bee populations. I should probably have one of my friends write this as he is an expert. But, I do have a background and experience that qualifies me as someone who might understand some of the risks society is not aware of or is discounting re this topic. Most everyone is aware we have a potential honey bee crisis in the making. We rely on bees to pollinate much of the global food supply and the AP had a story out last Tuesday that U.S. bee hive populations are down 36% year over year. That is a staggering number that, if accurate, should create serious concern.
If you have seen the movies Solyent Green, 28 Days Later, The Matrix, Planet of the Apes or I am Legend, you are aware of the potential risks of reveling in our own brilliance of scientific achievement. So far any unintended consequences of science gone awry, although horrific, are generally limited in scope. That is unless you believe humanity is a contributor to global warming. Some well known unintended consequences are biological dead zones from fertilizer runoff, cancer and birth defects caused by Agent Orange, significant cancer and birth deformities at Chernobyl, thousands dead at Bhopal and on and on and on. It would not be an exaggeration to say that uncontrolled or misunderstood technology or lack of concern of its impact on nature has killed or seriously afflicted millions of people. And, there are many things we clearly still do not understand. It has been proven many poisonous chemicals are in nearly every human being and can remain resident in the body for a lifetime.
We know about the benefits of technology but we seldom contemplate the risks. That is, until it is too late. There are many scientists that have warned humanity repeatedly that unyielding faith in our abilities to control the world through science will end in disaster. Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant scientists on the planet, has surmised humanity's greatest threat is an outcome similar to the movie themes above. In other words, that we will jeopardize humanity by releasing some type of man made disaster or plague upon ourselves.
We have entrepreneurs like Craig Venter who has boasted that he will create new super organisms or bugs to solve many of the world's problems, we have companies tampering with genetically modified food, genetically modified animals, DNA manipulation and all types of research that has great potential but also has a greater risk of unleashing a terminal mistake on the planet. Something that we may not realize until it is too late and millions of people have suffered the unintended consequences. Or, that all of humanity is vanquished in a worst case scenario. As many bioethicists and concerned scientists have stated, there is great promise in biotechnology but there are even greater risks.
Now that man has achieved the knowledge to unknowingly destroy humanity we must debate these issues, study possible implications and regulate this field of science for the safety of the planet. Today there is nothing but discussion amongst a concerned few. We must have an active and documented risk management strategy in the field of biotechnology. You do remember risk management? It's what I harped on for years as it pertained to Wall Street's Frankenstein creation of science-based finance. We have not yet seen the complete outcome of this disastrous faith in science. This finance induced virus or plague is spreading as rapidly as any biotechnology induced accident and the implications are equally serious. In other words, we already see what humanity is capable of creating via Wall Street's scientific experiment and it should act as a warning before similar, yet more ominous outcomes shudder through the biology industry and nature.
The honey bee article above begs a serious question. Is there is a link between the honey bee crisis and the rise of genetically modified food? Both appeared relatively simultaneously. Correlation does not mean causation but could this be an unintended consequence of Frankenstein food? Some upset of the natural order of the planet caused by humanity? We now find out there have been numerous studies that conclude genetically modified food reduces food yields by about ten percent. So, why are we even using them? And why are we allowing these Frankenstein creations to intermingle with the natural food chain where even further unintended outcomes could arise? Where our natural seed and planet biology could disappear forever without even one iota of an understanding to what those consequences are.
If you want to believe there is a food shortage, why not blame the shortage of food on the lower yields associated with the wide scale adoption of genetically modified foods? Bees forage on genetically modified plants that have insecticides and herbicides implanted in the plant's biology. Could genetically implanted insecticides be killing bees and upsetting the natural balance of nature? And, our ability to produce food? Or maybe it is the wide scale adoption of insecticides. Or insecticides genetically imprinted on food that has finally created a genetic mutation in the bee's natural defense system. The reality is we simply don't know. Because no one can figure out why bees are dying. In other words, it is something the scientists have never seen. Which, in my world increases the chance it could be caused by man. This is exactly why our unwavering faith in what we don't understand, aka biotechnology, is extremely foolish. And why risks must be clearly understood and accounted for.
If there is any fear I have about food availability, it's not because we are in a credit induced commodity bubble, it's biotechnology upsetting the natural state. I have written political representation and food companies about this issue as a concerned citizen. Many in the media and certain politicos want to paint those concerned as fringe elements. That is far from accurate. The more likely perspective is that they are not scientists, know nothing of what they are talking about and are using this red herring as a way of dumbing down the public to the real issues. That this is about money and profits before safety. The fact is that much of this Frankenstein food is pushed through the system by lawyers and politicians without any safety testing or understanding of risks.
There is a European documentary floating around the internet that involves scientists across the globe expressing concern about genetically modified food safety and potential risks. Including some whose testing has found a concern for cancer. Who knows what other unintended consequences are lurking in genetically tampering with nature. The video has been taken down from Youtube numerous times. Which likely means the companies implicated don't want anyone to see it. In the name of profits.
This is a very important topic that you might want to think about. And actively voice your concerns. Unless you have an unwavering faith in our new Gods. Man and science.
Update: Speaking of unintended consequences of insecticides, how timely is this?
If you have seen the movies Solyent Green, 28 Days Later, The Matrix, Planet of the Apes or I am Legend, you are aware of the potential risks of reveling in our own brilliance of scientific achievement. So far any unintended consequences of science gone awry, although horrific, are generally limited in scope. That is unless you believe humanity is a contributor to global warming. Some well known unintended consequences are biological dead zones from fertilizer runoff, cancer and birth defects caused by Agent Orange, significant cancer and birth deformities at Chernobyl, thousands dead at Bhopal and on and on and on. It would not be an exaggeration to say that uncontrolled or misunderstood technology or lack of concern of its impact on nature has killed or seriously afflicted millions of people. And, there are many things we clearly still do not understand. It has been proven many poisonous chemicals are in nearly every human being and can remain resident in the body for a lifetime.
We know about the benefits of technology but we seldom contemplate the risks. That is, until it is too late. There are many scientists that have warned humanity repeatedly that unyielding faith in our abilities to control the world through science will end in disaster. Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant scientists on the planet, has surmised humanity's greatest threat is an outcome similar to the movie themes above. In other words, that we will jeopardize humanity by releasing some type of man made disaster or plague upon ourselves.
We have entrepreneurs like Craig Venter who has boasted that he will create new super organisms or bugs to solve many of the world's problems, we have companies tampering with genetically modified food, genetically modified animals, DNA manipulation and all types of research that has great potential but also has a greater risk of unleashing a terminal mistake on the planet. Something that we may not realize until it is too late and millions of people have suffered the unintended consequences. Or, that all of humanity is vanquished in a worst case scenario. As many bioethicists and concerned scientists have stated, there is great promise in biotechnology but there are even greater risks.
Now that man has achieved the knowledge to unknowingly destroy humanity we must debate these issues, study possible implications and regulate this field of science for the safety of the planet. Today there is nothing but discussion amongst a concerned few. We must have an active and documented risk management strategy in the field of biotechnology. You do remember risk management? It's what I harped on for years as it pertained to Wall Street's Frankenstein creation of science-based finance. We have not yet seen the complete outcome of this disastrous faith in science. This finance induced virus or plague is spreading as rapidly as any biotechnology induced accident and the implications are equally serious. In other words, we already see what humanity is capable of creating via Wall Street's scientific experiment and it should act as a warning before similar, yet more ominous outcomes shudder through the biology industry and nature.
The honey bee article above begs a serious question. Is there is a link between the honey bee crisis and the rise of genetically modified food? Both appeared relatively simultaneously. Correlation does not mean causation but could this be an unintended consequence of Frankenstein food? Some upset of the natural order of the planet caused by humanity? We now find out there have been numerous studies that conclude genetically modified food reduces food yields by about ten percent. So, why are we even using them? And why are we allowing these Frankenstein creations to intermingle with the natural food chain where even further unintended outcomes could arise? Where our natural seed and planet biology could disappear forever without even one iota of an understanding to what those consequences are.
If you want to believe there is a food shortage, why not blame the shortage of food on the lower yields associated with the wide scale adoption of genetically modified foods? Bees forage on genetically modified plants that have insecticides and herbicides implanted in the plant's biology. Could genetically implanted insecticides be killing bees and upsetting the natural balance of nature? And, our ability to produce food? Or maybe it is the wide scale adoption of insecticides. Or insecticides genetically imprinted on food that has finally created a genetic mutation in the bee's natural defense system. The reality is we simply don't know. Because no one can figure out why bees are dying. In other words, it is something the scientists have never seen. Which, in my world increases the chance it could be caused by man. This is exactly why our unwavering faith in what we don't understand, aka biotechnology, is extremely foolish. And why risks must be clearly understood and accounted for.
If there is any fear I have about food availability, it's not because we are in a credit induced commodity bubble, it's biotechnology upsetting the natural state. I have written political representation and food companies about this issue as a concerned citizen. Many in the media and certain politicos want to paint those concerned as fringe elements. That is far from accurate. The more likely perspective is that they are not scientists, know nothing of what they are talking about and are using this red herring as a way of dumbing down the public to the real issues. That this is about money and profits before safety. The fact is that much of this Frankenstein food is pushed through the system by lawyers and politicians without any safety testing or understanding of risks.
There is a European documentary floating around the internet that involves scientists across the globe expressing concern about genetically modified food safety and potential risks. Including some whose testing has found a concern for cancer. Who knows what other unintended consequences are lurking in genetically tampering with nature. The video has been taken down from Youtube numerous times. Which likely means the companies implicated don't want anyone to see it. In the name of profits.
This is a very important topic that you might want to think about. And actively voice your concerns. Unless you have an unwavering faith in our new Gods. Man and science.
Update: Speaking of unintended consequences of insecticides, how timely is this?
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