Friday, November 25, 2011

It's Our Right To Know ... Label GMO's!

Amber at GMO Rally
Amber Making Her Sign for Santa Cruz Label GMO Rally
My seven year old granddaughter Amber Light is passionate about her food being free from GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms are a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal). Amber says we should not have GMO foods in our stores, that they just tempt kids unknowingly and they are just bad for you and at least they should label them. I told her that this is known as truth-in-labeling and  that she is correct that we have the right to know what is in our food so we can make healthy choices for ourselves and our families. Amber is so passionate that she has put signs on her front door saying "No GMO's", she joined me at a local rally we had in Santa Cruz, helped with tabling (where we educate people about hidden GMO's in our food supply and our California label GMO campaign) and she met Jeffery Smith, a pioneer, author & expert in educating the public on the dangers of GMO's. Above are pictures of Amber at our local Label GMO rally.

In California we are standing-up for our right-to-know what is in our food by demanding the labeling of all GMO ingredients. This will be done by a California Ballot Initiative scheduled for November 2012. This initiative will give our citizens the power to decide if and how GMO's will be labeled.

When this initiative passes, California will be leading the nation in labeling GMO's, helping to pave the way for other states to take their own action, demanding their right-to-know too. These type of initiatives are essential to building a safe and sustainable food and farming system. And what is exciting is that the power is with the citizens, at the ballot box. The future of our food supply literally depends upon the success of this campaign.

Look-Out for Label GMO Petitions and Sign One!

Starting in February 18, 2012, in California, you will see volunteers outside your natural food stores,  grocery stores, farmer's markets and other locations around your town asking you to sign a petition to get GMO's labeled. Please take a few moments to sign this petition and pass the word on to family and friends so they can be on the look-out for these petitions as well. 

Be strong about your resolve to get GMO's labeled in California. Educate yourself because when we get our 800,000 signatures (the amount estimated we need to get this initiative on our ballet) and hopefully we'll get a lot more, expect Monsanto to launch their own propaganda campaign to confuse people and to try to persuade voters to vote again this bill. Monsanto will put big bucks into their campaign and we know this as they have done it in the past.

Things You Can Do!

Get educated on GMO's and their health and environmental risks. Donate to the Label GMO initiative. Volunteer with your local GMO group. Share the message with family members and friends. Below are some link to help you along your journey.
  • Download your GMO Shopping Guide or get a free app for your IPhone or IPad at the same link. This guide will help you to avoid GMO's in the foods you purchase at your grocery store and natural foods markets. Up to 80% of processed foods contain GMO ingredients so educate yourself now by downloading the GMO Shopping Guide.  
  • Click on this link to learn more about the health risks of GMO foods.  
  • GMWatch.org is a great place to go to read about the breaking news on GM foods. 
  • SayNoToGMOs.org is a great site to understand what GMO means, what are the health risks, what testing has been done and more.
Sure Ways to Avoid GMO's
  • Shop at your local Farmer's Markets.
  • Grow your own food.
  • Buy organic as most organic foods are GMO free. The concern with organic foods is that GMO crops can cross pollinate to organic varieties in the area.

Please Pass This Message Along to Family and Friends!
Together We Can Change the World!


Campaign for Healthier Eating in America
"Although the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be one of the most dangerous health and environmental problems we face, it can be one of the easiest of the battles to win. The key is found in the tipping point, whereby a small number of individuals can move the market, forcing GMOs out of our nation�s food supply." Jeffery Smith



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