My vegan perspective on the organic food movement

[Flexi-Girl]

Up until recently I was somewhat opposed to the organic food movement and culture. I mostly believed that it was a necessary evil considering that billions of people are starving throughout the world. I figured if GMO's are good enough for starving people, their good enough for me. After all, being a vegan doesn't mean I have to turn my back on conventional food.

However recently something I heard made me rethink my position. I was reading an article about how most of the worlds food supply goes to feed animals instead of directly to people. As I was thinking about this, I began to wonder. Perhaps the world food problems are not entirely due to horrid land conditions. Maybe the main reason for people starving around the world is a human one. I am not going to even pretend that I know all the factors involved. But thinking about this makes me wonder if GMO crops are a band-aid, or manufactured solution to a man made condition.

I am not opposed to using GMO crops or consuming them myself if they are helping save lives, but it bugs me that we humans feel entitled to dominate and exploit the planet and it's resources with abandon. It's like we care nothing about the natural world other then how it can serve us. I know changing plants to suit our needs has gone on throughout history, but somehow the way we do it now days feels more evil in it's intent than benign. I don't have answers. I wish I did.

[knightofalbion]

There is a distinct difference between establishing and selecting specific (natural) strains of arable plant and scientifically altering the genetic make-up of plants.
We have no understanding of the impact doing the latter may have on the natural order of things.
My stance on GM remains the same as it always has been - we tinker with Nature at our peril.

[Flexi-Girl]

Originally Posted by knightofalbion

There is a distinct difference between establishing and selecting specific (natural) strains of arable plant and scientifically altering the genetic make-up of plants.
We have no understanding of the impact doing the latter may have on the natural order of things.
My stance on GM remains the same as it always has been - we tinker with Nature at our peril.

Thanks for pointing that out.

[mogenblue]

As far as I know GMO soy is not used for human consumption. If I remember well it's used to feed live stock. But maybe it's also used in cosmetics, dunno really.

Organic food is generally way too expensive for me and I feel good enough with regular veggies from the supermarket, daymarket or deep frozen (I use mostly deep frozen).
I only buy organic when there is a substantial difference in quality like wheat or peanutbutter. Perhaps that's a personal experience.

Also I tend to make food more by myself, like bread. I think it's an alternative way to get closer to the source compared with organic food. And it's usually much cheaper too.