If you have been reading The Straits Times for the past few days/weeks, you would have come across these stories:
1. Forum letters arguing whether vegetarian diet will help save the Earth or disrupt the ecosystem.
2. A column claiming women should not be scheduled for night shifts.
3. Protests against approval of marketing of genetically-modified salmon by FDA.
Comment on issue 1: Based on my understanding, current studies have shown that eating vegetables conserves more resources than eating meat. I have no doubt that is true. Just look the food chain. How much feed do you need to supply a cow with just to rear the cow so you can the meat. So, should we all turn vegetarians? To save the Earth? Yes. I believe saving the Earth is important. But have anyone considered the enormous economic problems if everyone becomes vegan will bring? What will happen to all the farmers rearing animals if we all turn vegetarians? You do not want to solve a problem, but generate a new problem. To those who claim current methods of farming is unnatural, please do not take this accomplishment by mankind lightly. It is an achievement born out of the need to feed billions of people. Unless you are saying the very existence of human is the bane of the Earth, then I do not see why you should criticize such intensive farming. They exist because we need them to exist. As for the impact of ecosystem, who are we to claim if we do this, we are "restoring" it to natural state? Have you considered the impact of a large scale cultivation of crops? How different is that compared to rearing of animals? As a species, human have progressed far beyond any organism on Earth. There is basically no comparison for the impact human have on our environment. Yes. You can write about "restoring natural state" in your exam essays. But please do not put up such things in an international conference to chart environmental protection efforts. My view is: Yes. If you feel going vegetarian is good for you, go right ahead. If you feel you should persuade people to go vegetarian, you can go ahead, but pay attention to whether your audience is interested - otherwise it will seem like nagging. Nobody likes to be nagged at.
Comment on issue 2: After reading the column, all I agree is melatonin suppresses breast cancer. What is the problem if we sleep during the day and work at night? There is still a night-day cycle needed for production of melatonin right? Before we jump the gun and call for a stop to night shift, I think we at least need to establish a mechanism for this day-night cycle and melatonin. Instead of a complete stop, perhaps a reduction of hours of night shift is a better measure until more conclusive evidence surfaces.
Comment on issue 3: Ok. I just found out the inventor of GM salmon is a professor at a local university whom I have seen several times. Yes. It is too early to tell the effect of consumption of GM food. These effects are likely to vary, depending on the method used to generate GM food. The FDA should allow labeling of such salmon as GM food so consumers can make a decision. It is true that consumers have the right to know and to choose. Making decisions for the consumers (when consumers have clearly shown their preference for labeling) goes against the role of FDA, which is to protect the safety of consumers, particularly since safety of GM food is inconclusive (it seems to be safe, with the exception of potential allergic reaction thus far). To those who lobby against GM food, your concern is valid. However, there is not yet evidence to show GM food is unsafe. Also, we should not be influenced too much by movies. All the chimeras, "evil" genetically altered organisms, are just designed to interest you in paying the tickets to keep the movie industry afloat. I almost burst into laughter when a local Chinese newspaper put up a picture of a chimeric animal in an attempt to portray the danger of genetic engineering. Yes. There are potential hazards. Then again, generating such a "monster" is extremely difficult and who will fund such research in the first place? There is genuine cause for concern regarding genetic engineering and various governments have started to look into the issue. We should not let irrational fear or ignorance impede us from making progress of such useful technology.
No comments:
Post a Comment