The battle to get GM foods (or products with GM content) labelled in South Africa has been interesting, and now with draft legislation in the pipeline, rewarding.http://www.acbio.org.za/. At least consumers will now have some choice. But I have been stunned by my Facebook 'friends' collective silence on this really important issue. It seems the more superficial and frivolous the post, the more people respond - and vice versa. (Well, I guess that is what you get when you have deeper expectations of social media!)
No sooner than that small victory was being celebrated, and a post appeared about palm oil, highlighting the plight of the orangutangs, the dwindling rainforests, the threatened livelihood of peasant farmers... and the daunting list of products that use palm oil as cheap ingredients in so many of our everyday, apparently innocent products: shampoo, soap, fabric softener, chocolate bars, etc.
It is hard not to allow oneself to plunge into depression over the never-ending destructiveness and greed that characterizes our species, isn't it?
But more guilt is not helpful. So how to respond?
I realise afresh that, yes, small things really do matter! Where I shop, what I buy, what I throw away, wastefulness, carelessness, choosing my own convenience over being responsible ... millions of us just doing that ... and we have carved a great wound into the earth.
Ask questions - what is that 'vegetable oil' component in your shampoo, soap, and crackers? Where does it come from? What is the source of the maize in the cornflour in your cupboard? Challenge the retailers, and get them to challenge the producers, who can in turn make their voices heard further down the chain.
Vote with your purse. You don't have to be political! We all have to eat, shop and leave the world to our children and grandchildren. A secure and safe food supply that does the least harm to the environment and other people should be everyone's goal - mutually beneficial politics.
And spread the word - speak up, wherever you find yourself. Educate people about the choices they make and take a stand in your circle at the very least - please.
