Editor’s note: Emil Karlsson is a Swedish science communicator who runs the Debunking Denialism blog, which is dedicated to scientific skepticism and refuting pseudoscience.
#1 GMOs decrease dangerous pesticide usage
Genetically modified insect-resistant crops produce their own, highly-specific pesticide (called Bt proteins) against a specific group of pests. This means that farmers do not need to spray as much insecticide over their crops.
GMOs have reduced pesticide use by 37%….
#2 GMOs increase yield and decrease land use
Because GMOs increase yield whereas organic farming decreases yield by 34%, GMOs require substantially less land compared with conventional and organic farming to grow the same amount of food.
#3 GMOs boost no-till farming
Because herbicide-resistant crops do not require as much mechanical weed removal, GM farmers do not need to till their soil as much and some farms that grow GMOs do not engage in any tilling at all.
Related on the SLP
#4 GMOs save beneficial insects
Because insect-resistant GMOs that use the Bt proteins only affect a specific group of insect pests, it has little to no effect on any other insects.
#5 GMOs reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Because GMOs reduce pesticide usage and tilling, farms that grow GMOs require less diesel to power their tractors and thus produce less carbon dioxide.
GM farms have a smaller carbon footprint and are thus more eco-friendly in this area.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Five Ways GMOs Benefit The Environment
