Re: biotechnology - what can you do?

E. Ann Clark, Associate Professor (ACLARK@plant.uoguelph.ca)
Thu, 25 Feb 1999 04:43:38 EST

Folks: I will be speaking to a "lay", non-agricultural audience next
week on the risks of genetic engineering, and would like to give them
some ideas on what they, as private citizens, can "do". I would be
most appreciative of your thoughts on the following, keeping in mind
that these will be people without (necessarily) a background in
either science or agriculture, but who are likely consumers interested
in alternatives to the conventional approach to food
production/access.

1. Books, articles, videos to acquaint them with the issues? I have
several, but most are written with a pretty clear slant, which is
sometimes clearly political. I'd like to compile a list with the
objectivity and political-neutrality of Rissler and Mellon's classic
Ecological Risks of Genetically Engineered Organisms, but perhaps a
bit less technical. These can include biocides, because quite a bit
of GE is clearly designed to promote dependence on biocides
(notwithstanding public posturing to the contrary)

2. Listservers? My personal favorite is Benbrook's superb pmac
website, although this may be too deep for this audience. Other
examples? Mothers and Others?

3. Examples of citizen action? Can you share examples of personal
initiative that might have been taken in your community, whether in
approaching your local grocer or garden center,
publicizing/popularizing access to organic sources of foodstuffs,
bringing in speakers or talking to schools, petitioning your City
Council, or writing your elected representatives at the
state/provincial or federal level to enact change, raise sensitivity,
or inform policy? Examples, ideally with a contact name/address,
would be heartening to the public, to give them a sense of what can
be done by committed people concerned about the future of the world's
children.

Thanks in advance - Ann

ACLARK@plant.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX: 519 763-8933
http://www.oac.uoguelph.ca/www/CRSC/faculty/eac.htm

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