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I have just listened to a radio program where they reported on nano silver being used for everyday purposes. While we are still focusing on gm food, nano stuff is silently creeping into our lives. And it seems to be even more worrisome and less researched than gm crap. There is no law demanding the declaration of such contents in products, the effects are not known. The industry is basically treating consumers like guinea pigs.
That stuff is used for instance in clothes and shoes supposedly in order to kill off microbes. The problem is that silver is pretty much the last resort against microbes which are already immune against medicine and chemicals. Thus it is traditionally used in hospitals. However when silver is used on a large scale, bacteria etc. will become immune to it, too.
Then of course there is the problem already known from any nano particles, they are so small that they can enter any cell and cross any barrier within the body. What they do once they are in our cells nobody knows. But it seems that it has similar effects as asbestos.
There are already washing machines on the market which emit nano silver particles into the laundry.
Somehow I am so sick of those companies which for no reason apart from greed risk our health and thus our future. If nano stuff were good for us, nature would have provided us with it.
"If nano stuff were good for us, nature would have provided us with it."
It did. Pretty hard to get more nano than a molecule. Nano is more a marketing term at this point than a meaningful description of a small device. But, if you want to get your shorts in a bunch, knock yourself out. Self administered wedgies are kinda fun to watch.
The difference is like with gm food: the genetic or nano components nature has come up with are safe, whereas those invented by humans are not. Why? Because humans do things for the wrong reasons. They do them too fast. They do them without knowing or caring about all the consequences.
I have just listened to a radio program where they reported on nano silver being used for everyday purposes. While we are still focusing on gm food, nano stuff is silently creeping into our lives. And it seems to be even more worrisome and less researched than gm crap. There is no law demanding the declaration of such contents in products, the effects are not known. The industry is basically treating consumers like guinea pigs.
That stuff is used for instance in clothes and shoes supposedly in order to kill off microbes. The problem is that silver is pretty much the last resort against microbes which are already immune against medicine and chemicals. Thus it is traditionally used in hospitals. However when silver is used on a large scale, bacteria etc. will become immune to it, too.
Then of course there is the problem already known from any nano particles, they are so small that they can enter any cell and cross any barrier within the body. What they do once they are in our cells nobody knows. But it seems that it has similar effects as asbestos.
There are already washing machines on the market which emit nano silver particles into the laundry.
Somehow I am so sick of those companies which for no reason apart from greed risk our health and thus our future. If nano stuff were good for us, nature would have provided us with it.
You forget that nature also provides alot of stuff that is NOT good for us, like bacteria and germs and viruses, along with the fleas and bugs and critters that carry them. The Black Plague that killed one-third of Europe in the middle ages was caused by fleas from rats. Last I heard, those were both natural beings. Also, there are many poisonous plants out there, as well as animals and reptiles that are toxic to us. Thus: "organic" does not always mean "healthy." Ask any farmer or rancher or biologist.
Lastly, you're jumping the gun on the nano silver thing. The report I heard on it was purely speculative; some eco-scientists merely wondered if the nano particles used as bacteria killers in clothes MIGHT somehow wash into the watershed and then kill helpful bacteria. I read about no perceived threat to humans or animals or even fish.
You forget that nature also provides alot of stuff that is NOT good for us, like bacteria and germs and viruses, along with the fleas and bugs and critters that carry them. The Black Plague that killed one-third of Europe in the middle ages was caused by fleas from rats. Last I heard, those were both natural beings. Also, there are many poisonous plants out there, as well as animals and reptiles that are toxic to us. Thus: "organic" does not always mean "healthy." Ask any farmer or rancher or biologist.
Sure enough, all those things are there. However, they become bad mostly when human ignorance, selfishness and greed are behind the scenes. They all have their places.
In the nursery business one of the most devastating things that work against profit making is something called Damping_off. Tiny pathogens cause seeds to die or seedlings to develope root collar rot at it's base near the potting media. Less successful seedlings means less profit for the nursery owner, so they employ funicides to decontaminate the potting media.
But in nature, we need those things. If every tree and shrub seed always without fail germinated and grew successfully, there never would have ever been any old growth forests. All forests would everywhere be stunted and weedy. Wildlife would not succeed and certainly we would never be here. So most of the perceived bad things are necessary though we may not always understand their purpose and reasons for existing yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrummerBoy
Lastly, you're jumping the gun on the nano silver thing. The report I heard on it was purely speculative; some eco-scientists merely wondered if the nano particles used as bacteria killers in clothes MIGHT somehow wash into the watershed and then kill helpful bacteria. I read about no perceived threat to humans or animals or even fish.
I have'nt ever looked into any of these nano particles in clothing. It sounds more of some eco-green marketing gimic to make a big profit more than anything else.
As far as conscentrations being dangerous to the watershed or anywhere else, that could be true and is true of most anything humans have invented and released into the environment. Generally these unseen organisms are designed to adapt to whatever need be to deal with recycling any waste. I saw research where bacteria living in a symbiotic relationship inside the roots of sunflowers growing around in contaminated soil at the disaster site at Chernobyl were able to digest much of that contaminated radioactive soil and render it safer than previously. So let's hear it for all those algorithm engineering genes.
The difference is like with gm food: the genetic or nano components nature has come up with are safe, whereas those invented by humans are not. Why? Because humans do things for the wrong reasons. They do them too fast. They do them without knowing or caring about all the consequences.
The problem is that very little of modern industiral science is out in the natural world observing just how nature accomplishes things. Mostly there are Labs , computers/programs and Internet for doing the scientific research. It should be noted that science is first and foremost a money and wealth driven machine. Companies that employ these scientists don't have the money and time to devote field research, that's probably left to University researchers teaching and training kids. Most all companies who employ these scientists are in the business of inventing consumer goods for a quick and sustained profit. Checks and balances are shoved aside. The quicker they accomplish that task of manufacturing inventions, the quicker their share holders receive the long hoped for rewards.
There is very little left of any pristine environment out there anyway to observe. That's sad, because in many circumstances we've lost opportunity to observe just how many organisms or ecosystems actually function the way they were intended. What we have now is nothing more than observing how a system functions when it's out of balance. All of humankind, including you and I are shackled by the fact that we only have this tiny bubble of a lifespan. We want as much out of life as we can possibly get. We are aware that any set of circumstances can cut that 60-80 year lifespan in half or even less because of time and chance or our own careless stupidity with regards life choices. So the discipline for being patient and taking our time isn't always there. As more people arive on this planet through birth and more marketing of living the good life flood the media, then more and more are going to want their piece of the pie. Hence we have these reasons even now that many of our natural resources are being taxed to the limit.
Still, know this, people will still continue to support this system.
Sure enough, all those things are there. However, they become bad mostly when human ignorance, selfishness and greed are behind the scenes. They all have their places.
In the nursery business one of the most devastating things that work against profit making is something called Damping_off. Tiny pathogens cause seeds to die or seedlings to develope root collar rot at it's base near the potting media. Less successful seedlings means less profit for the nursery owner, so they employ funicides to decontaminate the potting media.
But in nature, we need those things. If every tree and shrub seed always without fail germinated and grew successfully, there never would have ever been any old growth forests. All forests would everywhere be stunted and weedy. Wildlife would not succeed and certainly we would never be here. So most of the perceived bad things are necessary though we may not always understand their purpose and reasons for existing yet.
I have'nt ever looked into any of these nano particles in clothing. It sounds more of some eco-green marketing gimic to make a big profit more than anything else.
As far as conscentrations being dangerous to the watershed or anywhere else, that could be true and is true of most anything humans have invented and released into the environment. Generally these unseen organisms are designed to adapt to whatever need be to deal with recycling any waste. I saw research where bacteria living in a symbiotic relationship inside the roots of sunflowers growing around in contaminated soil at the disaster site at Chernobyl were able to digest much of that contaminated radioactive soil and render it safer than previously. So let's hear it for all those algorithm engineering genes.
Go figure
I guess there is a difference between the "bad things" nature comes up and the artificial bad things we invent, not least because of the speed, but also because of the mere nature of our inventions. I think it is crazy to propagate artificial nano particles when we don't even know what they will do, nor how we can get rid off them should we discover they are harmful. Those things are being introduced so silently, maybe on purpose after the rejection the industry has experienced with GM food. But in my opinion those things are way more dangerous than any war or natural disaster.
I guess there is a difference between the "bad things" nature comes up and the artificial bad things we invent, not least because of the speed, but also because of the mere nature of our inventions. I think it is crazy to propagate artificial nano particles when we don't even know what they will do, nor how we can get rid off them should we discover they are harmful. Those things are being introduced so silently, maybe on purpose after the rejection the industry has experienced with GM food. But in my opinion those things are way more dangerous than any war or natural disaster.
This is what I have been saying all along. There is never any personal responsibility put forth when many new inovations are put out there on the market place. GMO being the worst. Most of the negative data is buried until at some future date when subpoenas will be filed through a class action lawsuit by victims of an invention gone terribly wrong to have those documents released to reveal what the offending company (usually someone like Monsanto) actually knew about the potential dangers and consequences of their latest Frankenfood.
Science is about irresponsible quick-fixes to make a fast ($)-(£) or whatever for immediate gratification. One of the latest irresponsible ideas to come out for fixing the climate change is by Mr Genome Pioneer Craig Venter who proposes making a Fankenbacteria to eat up CO2. As usual, the real solution to address people's behavorial habits which is causing the mess in the first place is never addressed. Other questions should be asked like, "What will happen when such a Frankenbug escapes into the environment ???" "What about replanting forests as a means of combating CO2 along with teaching humans to change behavior that is causing the mess in the first place ???" Oh no, let's not do that. That would be judgemental and we don't have the right to tell others how they should live, even though their personal irresponsible behavior is infringing on the rights of others for a healthy planet.
Cause & Effect equal to Selfishness-Greed & environmental ruin. Remove the Cause and you eliminate the effect. Nah, that's too judgemental and bigotted. That would be infringing on someone else's freewill. The fact that someone's bad behavior infringes on the rights of others should never be considered in the interests of freedom of speech and exercise of freechoice. Don't like it ??? Too bad, just "deal with it" is the usual snarky response !!!
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