En v i r o n m en ta l Effe c t s o f GE Cr o p s 243
In the country of Bangladesh, people organized to plant home gardens
to make sure that children have enough nutritious food. With the help of
an organization called Helen Keller International, people planted 600,000
home gardens to help prevent blindness and other health problems from
malnutrition. Home gardens are one way to improve nutrition and food
security without looking for expensive technical solutions such as GE food,
which may not work anyway.
Environmental Problems from GE Crops
When large corporations make and sell only a few kinds of seed, and then
convince farmers worldwide to use only these seeds, many different types of
plants may be lost and food security is harmed. But the most harmful effect of
GE crops on the environment is the loss of biodiversity (see page 27) essential
for a healthy environment.
Loss of natural pest controls. Some GE crops are made with pesticides inside
them. When pesticides are used without careful controls, the pests they are
meant to kill can become resistant to them (see page 273).
Harm to wildlife and soil. Pesticides in GE crops kill helpful insects and bacteria
that live in the soil. They may also harm birds, bats, and other animals that
help pollinate plants and control pests.
Effects on nearby plants. Pollen from GE crops blows in the wind and spreads to
other plants that are similar to them. But because GE plants are new, nobody
knows for sure what long-term effects this may have.
Farmers suffer when GE crops harm the environment.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012