Some more good old GMO's

Of the three presentations presented, the one of GMO’s caught my attention the most (like many of my peers in the class it seems). Growing up in a family where science comes first and there is nothing more reassuring, exciting, and absolute than good old fact and advances in technology, this is a topic I have heard a lot about. The fact that so many of the things we use daily are genetically modified can be scary, but can be positive all the while. So much in life has been altered and advanced through technology to better the quality of life for so many people that I think people who are completely skeptical about GMO’s should keep an open mind to the different opportunities. My best friend from highschool’s father worked for a bio-agricultural engineering company working with corn and other crops (much like the people who helped to develop Monsanto, but not that exact brand) and through being around him and hearing about the work he is involved in, I can’t help but to see an ultimately positive direction that the world is headed in with the help of GMO’s.

One thing that I think is necessary for the growing GMO field is public awareness. This is needed through both the education on the consumer’s end and the labeling and promoting through the individual company’s end. Labels are needed in supermarkets and on the fields alike, and companies should make it easier for the consumer to look up with information they need to know via the internet or another available resource.

The topic of synthetic insulin, or human insulin, used for diabetics as an alternative to pork or beef insulin, is an example of a beneficial GMO to the human race. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/231364-the-pros-cons-of-the-use-of-gmo-insulin/) This is of great interest to me, and with out advances like this one, the low cost and faster growing rate would not be available to offer all that is possible to those affected by diabetes. The downside is, like in almost any medical procedure of course, a negative reaction to the synthetic material. The huge pros of this invention has far outweighed the risks though, and new finds like this one will continue to emerge as GMOs continue to be produced.