Bye bye, Frito-Lay
Posted by Jeremy Herzer on May 5, 2009
He’s one of those people…
Christa and I attended the Green Festival here in Denver on both Saturday and Sunday, and while I had mixed opinions about what I saw and heard, I did come away with one concrete belief: I do not want genetically modified foods. I had already heard some of the dangers of eating GMO’s (genetically modified organisms), but we listened to a presentation that was pretty darned compelling. Jeffrey Smith gave a talk entitled “Seeds of Deception” that further cemented my desire to never eat GMO’s. After hearing Jeffrey’s talk about, among other things, water buffalo who died within days of eating GMO cotton leaves (even though the same buffalo had been grazing on non GMO cotton for years), I decided that the fault was mine if I continued to be a victim, feeling that I have no power or choice in whether or not to eat GMO’s. Jeffrey passed out pamphlets that list both companies that strictly prohibit the use of GMO ingredients and those that do not. Sadly, according to the pamphlet, Frito-Lay doesn’t discriminate. I checked out their website today and saw no mention of any explicit exclusion of GMO ingredients. So I did what I had always associated only with crazy extremists: I wrote them an email promising to never purchase or knowingly eat their products until they explicitly stop using GMO ingredients. What’s funny to me now is that choosing to not purchase a product based on health concerns is in no way extreme – - most of us make those choices every day (unless you love chicken wings as much as I do). The difference is that now I feel like I’m voting, and although it’s just one vote, my vote has been cast – - and I let Frito-Lay know about it.
One more thing…
Even if we don’t factor in the known (and potentially even more dangerous, the unknown) health risks, I still don’t want to eat GMO’s because of the practices of the companies responsible for this technology. Monsanto, for instance, has successfully sued and collected undisclosed damages from farmers who neither purchased nor wanted GMO seeds in their crops. Two farmers state their cases in the excellent documentary, “The Future of Food”. They claim that the seeds blew in either from neighboring fields or spilled from a passing grain truck. I grew up on a wheat farm, and find either explanation entirely plausible. Additionally, according to Jeffrey’s website, Monsanto executives have expressly declared their desire for a future in which 100% of all seeds are genetically modified – no more natural cross breeding. Stupid and dangerous.
Rant partially complete – or perhaps partially begun.
jeremy.
Ben said
Why were GMOs created in the first place? Is the food supposed to taste better? Does it keep longer? Are the ingredients just cheaper? All natural sounds great, but how much more will it cost for the average person to have non-GMO foods?
You may be right about the danger of GMOs (they sound spooky, but show me the facts) but who do we trust to give us the best information in terms of nutrition–it seems groups are disparate and all motivated by different agendas (from animal rights extremists, to grocers, to “scientists” looking for the next grant). Are trans-fats really bad (I don’t know, but there sure was a backlash there–was it warranted or was it just scare tactics)? Why is it that most “nutrionists” discount the low carb (high protein) diets in favor of the classic 2000 calorie food pyramid diet which is loaded with carbs?
I get the feeling we’ve never been unhealthier as a nation (obesity and diabetes percentages are much higher than the days of old), and I have been personally disgusted by the wasteful consumption of many (including myself at times), but there’s always a cost. what is that cost, and who is going to pay for it…?
5foot6 said
Ben, according to all that I’ve read, the only real advantage (at this point) to GMO’s is that they are “Roundup Ready”, meaning you can spray Roundup etc. on your whole field and your crop won’t die. Others actually produce their own pesitcides on a cellular level. We’ve been told for years to wash the pesticides off our fruits and vegetables for years, but that’s obviously not a possibility with some of these foods. When I first heard about GMO’s, I was totally in favor because I was told the technology was heading towards solving world hunger – crops growing with less water, disease resistant, etc. I’m no expert, but so far I’ve not heard or read about significantly higher yields, more nutritional value, or any benefit other than the reduced cost associated with different usage of pesiticides. I agree with you that someone will always pay the cost, but I guess that’s partially a responsibility I am trying to take to heart. I, as a consumer, recognize that I am paying a higher price financially if I decide to buy Boulder Chips instead of Fritos, but I’m also giving money to a system of food production that I want to succeed. That’s the idea behind “Voting With Your Dollars”. I’m beyond telling people what they should do, I just want to put out there what I’m doing and hope it inspires others to dig in and really commit to what they love.
Good stuff – thanks for reading, Ben!
jeremy.
Sean Hommestaad said
Hey buddy,
I like what I see. As a person who has been green, at least in philosophy and spirit for as long as I remember, I am very happy to see more and more people who are concerned about our agricultural practices and wanting to move toward a sustainable lifestyle in every way. I have for years felt very hopeless about the future of coming generations of people as well as other species that inhabit our planet. It has only been in the last few years that I have felt that we are turning the corner towards living in a manner that enables life to not only survive but in my opinion improve through having a more simplistic yet increasingly rewarding existence. I think that we are coming to a time in which a major portion of our population is becoming aware of the lies that we have been sold in which we are made to believe that our greatest happiness comes through having material possessions. Keep up the blogging and I can’t wait to read your book. If your interested look up Michael Pollan’s blog and specifically his article on the gmo potato (which are not classified as a food by the FDA but rather a pesticide), which may just be where frito lay gets there potatos.
Sean
5foot6 said
Hey Sean! I’d love to read about the potato/pesticide… feel free to post the link here. I too am encouraged that people like me are starting to care about our choices as they relate to a sustainable lifestyle. I am mostly excited about the impact it will have on our local, communal relationships. Good to hear from you!
jeremy.