When I first moved to this special part of the world I now call home, I was awestruck with the natural beauty. Santa Cruz County is abundant with life in the sea, on the land and in the air. Nestled along the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, are tall stately Eucalyptus trees that are the seasonal home of a very small but mighty creature. Monarch Butterflies migrate thousands of miles each year to these very trees their ancestors found respite in to be sheltered from the harsh cold winters. Natural Bridges State Park is a place where you can literally view thousands of Monarchs hanging like paper lanterns, waiting for the sun to warm their wings. Continue reading “Goodbye Butterfly: Adios Mariposa”
Tag: Center for Food Safety
What’s the all the Buzz about?
I have heard a lot of buzz lately from the media, USDA and environmentalists regarding the state of honeybees. The decline of the Honeybee population has been well documented since 2006. According to USDA studies, 31% of North America hives have collapsed each winter since 2006. The trend is similar throughout Europe and Asia. Continue reading “What’s the all the Buzz about?”
The What How and Why on GMO’s
What are Genetically Modified Organisms?
GMO’s are plants or animals created through the process of genetic engineering. This experimental technology forces DNA from one species into a different species. The resulting GMOs are unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional breeding. The majority of GMO crops are engineered to produce Bt in their DNA. Bt is a protein that is toxic to chewing insects and is produced by the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and has long been used as a biological pesticide. Here is a Research Paper on the effects of Bt products in Humans. None of the genetically engineered traits in commercial production offer increased yields, drought tolerance or nutritional superiority. Continue reading “The What How and Why on GMO’s”