Nukleus
is committed to empowering our customers on the importance of using
organic cotton. Key to understanding the cotton issue is to
understand the seeds issue. In this blog we will be looking at seeds
and GMOs. We were startled and shocked by what we found and share so
you can make more informed choices about the kind of cotton products
you buy and why organic cotton is safest.
WHAT
EXACTLY ARE GMOS?
GMOs
(Genetically Modified Organisms) have been created by the GM
(genetic modification) process. According to GMO
Myths and Truths, a heavily researched and
sourced report produced by the Non GMO Project
:
GM
is completely different from natural breeding and poses different
risks. Natural breeding can only take place between closely
related forms of life (e.g. cats with cats, not cats with dogs; wheat
with wheat, not wheat with tomatoes or fish).
But
GM crops have had genetic material from other species inserted
into them eg non-plant into plant, with the hope that this will
give the target plant specific properties. But there can be
unexpected and unwanted changes in the GMO plant. These
could include toxic and allergenic effects, poor crop
performance, and generation of
characteristics that harm the environment. This is a
far-cry from the corporate ballyhoo in the case of cotton, about
increased yield. With organic cotton, as sourced by Nukleus, you can
be sure that your cotton garment is safe and not harming the
environment.
FOREVER
POISONED
These
unexpected changes are especially dangerous because they are
irreversible. Even the worst chemical pollution diminishes
over time as the pollutant is degraded by physical and biological
mechanisms. But GMOs are living organisms. Once released into
the ecosystem,they do not degrade and cannot be recalled, but
multiply in the environment and pass on their GM genes to future
generations.
Nukleus
thinks the environment it too important to risk this kind of
contamination.
POTENTIAL
HEALTH HAZARDS
Corporates
say that their GMOs are safe. We're not so sure. When independent
scientists in France analysed data on GM Bt maize they found that
Monsanto’s own feeding trial on rats revealed
serious health effects – including liver and kidney toxicity
– that had been hidden from the public.
This
is relevant to GM/Bt cotton for two reasons: cotton seeds are used in
animal and human food products and so enter the food chain. Secondly,
if the company information on maize was inaccurate, how do we know
what the potential health hazards of Bt cotton are? At Nukleus we
would rather be safe than sorry.
HAZARDS
OF Bt CROPS
Bt
cotton is a genetically modified form of cotton, produced by
Monsanto. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria
which produces toxins harmful to moths, butterflies and other
insects.
With
GM Bt crops the plant is engineered to express the Bt toxin in every
cell. The plant itself becomes a pesticide, and people and
animals that eat the plant are eating a pesticide.
GM
Bt crops have many adverse health effects when fed to laboratory
animals, including:
● Toxic
effects on the small intestine, liver, kidney, spleen, and pancreas
● Disturbances
in the functioning of the digestive system
● Reduced
weight gain
● Immune
system disturbances
These
effects have been demonstrated from eating Bt products. And, while we
do not eat clothes, the skin is the body’s largest organ, easily
absorbing substances. Some may cause allergies, while over a
longer time, exposure to toxic products can cause even more serious
health problems. With organic clothing, you can have peace of mind.
GM
Bt crops also have toxic effects on butterflies and other non-target
insects, beneficial pest predators, bees and aquatic and soil
organisms. At Nukleus, we don't want to damage ecosystems in this
way, and believe we should preserve them by growing organic cotton.
GM
COTTON AND ‘SAFE’ HERBICIDES
Over
75% of all GM crops, including Bt cotton, are engineered to tolerate
herbicides, particularly Roundup, produced by Monsanto.
Roundup is based on the chemical glycophosphate and marketed
as a “safe” herbicide.
But
many independent studies show that Roundup poses serious health
hazards, including endocrine (hormone) disruption, DNA damage,
cancer, birth defects, and neurological disorders.
And
if glycophosphate remains in GM food, it would seem reasonable to
assume that it remains in cotton fibres too...Organic cotton is not
sprayed with these kind of toxins, which is one of the many reasons
we at Nukleus advocate its use.
IMPACTS
ON FARMERS’ HEALTH...
A
report by doctors in Argentina showed the following health problems
in people exposed to spraying of agrochemicals (mostly glyphosate) on
GM Roundup Ready (RR) soy: increased incidence of birth defects,
miscarriages, infertility, cancers, DNA damage (which can lead to
cancer and birth defects), neurological developmental problems in
children, kidney failure, respiratory problems, and allergies.
In
one area, birth defects increased fourfold and rates of childhood
cancers tripled in only a decade in areas where rice and GM soy
crops are heavily sprayed. Is this happening in cotton farming
communities in India and elsewhere? Until data is collected, we can't
be sure...but we know that organic cotton farmers and their families
are safe from these serious health risks.
AND
ON YOU....
These
issues are relevant not only to people living where GM crops are
grown, but for consumers who eat products made from crops sprayed
with agrochemicals. GM crops do not break down glyphosate, but
absorb it, so the toxic chemical remains
in the plant and is eaten by people and animals. It
would seem logical to assume that Bt cotton would similarly be imbued
with these toxins. With organic cotton, you know you are safe from
these kind of potential hazards.
GM
CROPS: A SOLUTION...OR A WORSE PROBLEM? WHAT DO FARMERS SAY?
“Over
the past decade, corporate and government managers have spent
millions trying to convince farmers and other citizens of the
benefits of genetically modified (GM) crops. But this huge public
relations effort has failed to obscure the truth: GM crops do not
deliver the promised benefits; they create numerous problems, costs,
and risks; and ... consumers and foreign customers alike do not want
these crops.
“It
would be too generous even to call GM crops a solution in search of a
problem: These crops have failed to provide significant solutions,
and their use is creating problems – agronomic,
environmental, economic, social, and (potentially) human health
problems.”
– National
Farmers Union of Canada
At
Nukleus, we have spoken with many Indian farmers and they would
agree.
To
the ordinary person, wandering round the mall or shopping in a
market, these concerns may seem distant. But they are real and
important, which is why we at Nukleus believe that organic cotton –
non-GMO, not sprayed by toxic chemicals, is best. By choosing organic
cotton products you can have peace of mind, and don't need to be
concerned about toxins in your body, the environment, or affecting
the health of farmers. We wear clothes all our lives, against our
skin and there’s no reason to jeopardise our health to look good.
Sometimes safe is just a lot better than sorry.
We
are heavily indebted to our friends at the Non GMO project for their
work and the report. We would highly recommend them as a trusted
resource for accurate and credible information on GMOs, presented in
an accessible and coherent form.
