GMOs: Environmental Pros and Cons

by Isabel Laezman

You may or may not have heard of something called GMOs. G.M.O stands for genetically modified organism. "Genetically" is in reference to genes, which have DNA. DNA is a pattern for how your cells grow which determines almost every aspect of an organism. Modified means a change has been made. In this case, a change has been made to the cells of an organism. An organism is any life form--typically a plant, animal, bacteria, or virus. A genetically modified organism is a plant, animal, bacteria, or virus that has had their genes modified in a lab.

To make a GMO, a scientist causes a gene to be changed in one single cell. One cell may not seem like a lot, but it has massive amounts of DNA in it. Also, as the organism grows, its cells divide, and eventually every cell has the new gene. Many plants are made into GMOs. There are multiple reasons for this, some of them include giving the plant the ability to withstand herbicides (a substance that kills weeds), allowing them to produce a protein that kills pests, or making the crops better quality. Genetic engineering is also used on bacteria and viruses. Bacteria that have been modified can be used to create medicine, vaccines, and cures for diseases. Animals can be GMOs as well; however, most are not used for food supplies like crops are. A lot of genetically modified animals are used for scientific research. The animals that are used for food are usually modified so that the animal can grow faster and bigger in order to turn a greater profit for the company.

One big debate is whether or not genetically modified products are safe for your health. There really is no simple answer to this question. GMOs are a very new concept. They only first started being developed barely 30 years ago. Because of this, there is not enough evidence to show that they have any negative or positive effects on your health. In the absence of this information, many people have opted for non-GMO products.

GMOs have many effects on the environment. Some positive things are since some genetically modified plants have a protein in them that kills pests, farmers don’t have to put toxic chemicals on their field that are bad for the soil and animals or insects who come near the field. Since GMOs were first invented, they have reduced pesticide applications by 8.2%. Also, some crops are modified to have better quality and longer shelf life. Nicer looking food is more appealing to customers so less food will be thrown away, and longer lasting food reduces the need to throw away expired food.

While there are many benefits, GMOs also have some negative effects on the environment. Since some genetically modified plants have a protein that kills pests, certain insects have started evolving so that the protein doesn’t kill them. These are called “superbugs” or “superpests” and can only be killed with a very strong chemical that is harmful to the environment. The same situation is happening with weeds. Since genetically modified plants can withstand herbicides, farmers can spray chemicals onto their fields to kill weeds without the crops dying. This has caused the weeds to evolve just like pests into “superweeds” that can only be killed with stronger chemicals.

GMOs are still a very new invention and a work in progress. While they have mixed effects on the environment, they are still being developed and experimented on in different ways. As time goes on, technology will change and the effects they have will most likely be different.

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1. Stebbins, Michael. “GMOs Have Benefits for the Environment | BIO.” Www.bio.org, 22 Apr. 2019, www.bio.org/blogs/gmos-have-benefits-environment#:~:text=GMOs%20also%20reduce%20the%20amount.

2. “GMO Facts – the Non-GMO Project.” Www.nongmoproject.org, 2016, www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/#:~:text=Genetically%20modified%20organisms%20(GMOs)%20are.

3. Meilan, Rick. “What Are GMOs?” Purdue.edu, 2019, ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/WhatareGMOs.aspx.

The Overlooked Consequences of Noise Pollution

Air pollution, water pollination, plastic pollution, and regular trash pollution are all calamities affecting the growth of climate change. But what about noise pollution? How can noise be a pollutant? You can't see noise; it's invisible. Nevertheless, it is present on the land, in the air, and under the sea. Noise pollution is considered to be any undesired or bothersome sounds that can harm humans and other creatures.

Animals that use echolocation are immensely affected by excess noise. Noises from construction, airports, concerts, and likewise, hinder this ability. And it's not only animals on land which are being impacted. Marine mammals like whales and dolphins rely on echolocation to navigate, eat, communicate, and even mate. They aren't able to echolocate effectively with ships, oil drills, sonar devices, seismic tests - all of which transform a previously tranquil ecosystem into a now chaotic and clamorous one. Noise pollution doesn't just harm animals that use echolocation. Modern studies claim that noise pollution damages the health and prosperity of wildlife. For example, these studies have shown that excessive noises can cause caterpillars' hearts to beat faster, and they can even prevent bluebirds from producing the average number of chicks. Animals use sounds to navigate, eat, communicate, mate, and avoid predators - essentially the components they need to survive. Brash sounds suppress these abilities and can be the reason why an animal won't live another day.

Furthermore, noise pollution is not merely the enemy of animals; it can damage millions of humans' health daily. Sound is measured in decibels - a whisper is 30 decibels, a normal conversation, 60 - and when a sound reaches to or above 85 decibels, it is acknowledged as harmful to a person's ear. Many of the daily sounds we hear pass this threshold. For example, lawnmowers are 90 decibels, subway trains are 90-115 decibels, and rock concerts are 110-120 decibels. Exposure to such noisy sounds, especially for a lengthy amount of time, can cause a plentiful of health issues, including Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). They can also cause high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress. In children, who are more commonly affected, noise pollution creates impairments in memory, attention level, and reading skills. Noise pollution is a threat that should be taken seriously.

Awareness is the most crucial technique to avoid the consequences of noise pollution. For instance, keep away from listening to deafening music for an extended period of time. Choose quieter means of transportation, such as a bike, rather than a car. Don't take part in vociferous activities similar to concerts, yard work, or firework performances. As for marine animals, the best we can do is establish quieter ships and machinery, such as cranes. Developing muffled cars, lowering traffic speed limits, and setting up noise-reducing barriers amongst high-traffic areas are all ways the government can aid terrestrial animals. Scientists are working to comprehend noise pollution and its effects thoroughly, as it is a relatively new concept. They are additionally working on finding methods to produce "quiet zones," which will lower noise levels in crucial ecosystems.

These problematic sounds are being produced solely by humans. We can do our part by avoiding loud noises that will harm us and by not creating loud noises that will harm animals. It is up to us humans to find a solution to this invisible issue. We need to recognize that noise pollution is a genuine concern, and we need to find the appropriate sustainable solutions to maintain and overcome it.

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1. Noise Pollution | National Geographic Society

2. Noise Pollution: what it is, causes, effects and solutions - Iberdrola

3. Infographic: Noise pollution and animals

4. Quiet please! Fighting noise pollution - Curious