Our Kids Our Future

Ever since 2004, the huge controversy of designer babies has been overflowing the media. Technology has developed so greatly that genetic modification could be performed on humans. The big question is, is it ethically acceptable?

Although the process has not been mastered yet, it is only a matter of time before scientists will able to safely perform the procedure. The main two reasons for designer babies are medical purposes, and cosmetic purposes. Some people say it is unethical to modify humans. Some say there are many benefits and it should be acceptable. I stand somewhere in between the two arguments.

It is almost certain that the future will be able to master genetic engineering

Although I believe it is true that the parents should accept their child no matter the genes they are given, in some cases, genetically engineering can be beneficial and prevent common diseases such as Down syndrome and blood diseases. If our technology is capable of safely removing these diseases, then I support them. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD, is the term used to refer to embryo screening for medical purposes. I feel this is an excellent and safe procedure that can eliminate all unwanted diseases. If today’s technology allows us to diagnose and remove genes that cause harmful disease, then I think it is morally acceptable for us to perform these actions. Designing babies has been proven to save lives as well as successfully remove diseases. I think humans should take advantage of this technology and use it whenever necessary.

However, I do not support the modification of genes for cosmetic purposes. Designing babies should only be used for causes that will save lives or remove diseases. It should not be used to simply choose specific traits of a child. Designing a child for the wrong reasons can limit the Childs ability to make choices. There are certain characteristics that could be given to a child, however the child may not want to obtain them. Certain races and ethnicities will be rarer in the future if designing babies becomes more common. This can trigger an increase in discrimination and exclusion. The process of genetic modifications should be done under control with valid reasoning.

The risks of genetically engineering are very high, and they should not be taken for unnecessary reasons. The results are unpredictable and can have an effect on other genes. Any small errors can lead to death and other issues. When technology finally masters genetic engineering, I am almost positive it will be extremely costly. Certain traits and characteristics shouldn’t be only available to the wealthy. When the ability to change physical features and characteristics is made possible, it may be abused and can have negative impacts on our society. I believe that humans should have the control to refrain from designing babies for any reason other than medical.

Some things should be left alone.

Blogs commented on:

http://graceelkhechen.blogspot.com/2010/11/designer-babies-future-generation.html#comment-form

http://biologyislyfe.blogspot.com/2010/11/bio-engineered-kids.html#comments

Websites Used:

http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html

http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/dbcont1.htm

http://www.pgdcenter.com/

Don't Forget Water

“Humans are the most invasive species.” This doesn’t necessarily mean negative things. Humans all around the world are making movements to create a positive impact on today’s biodiversity. Aquatic life is the most overlooked endangered species. Whales, dolphins, turtles, and fish are killed by the thousands from simple and preventable causes. The World Wildlife Fund is one of the world’s largest international conservation organizations. It’s a non-governmental organization that focuses on environmental related projects. Over 1300 projects are currently taking place everyday!

The humpback whale. Often killed for its bones and meat.

So what exactly is the WWF doing? Let’s start with our lakes. The great Canadian shoreline cleanup is a huge project calling everyone from all over the world. Volunteers simply clean the shore of the Canadian great lakes. This massively reduces litter and animal debris which are harmful to certain aquatic species. Last year, the same project cleaned nearly 2,500 km of shore! Imagine all the wildlife that saved. Other than the lakes, projects include anti-whaling campaigns, and illegal fishing prevention. A team of people stop the killing of whales and whale testing to conserve the endangered species. Many organizations all over the world patrol the waters to prevent over fishing and killing of illegal species. Thousands of threatened species are saved to conserve our wildlife. The WWF is calling for a set of regulations and brought attention to the importance of water cleanliness and aquatic life. This relates to the harmful oil spill in the gulf of Mexico.

Lake Superior after the Great Shore Cleanup

Aside from volunteers, the government is also contributing their part to saving wildlife. The WWF works with the government and first nations to help develop plans and execute them. Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) states specific endangered species and laws against hunting. Certain fish and whales were made illegal to kill because of the rarity. The WWF tracks and manages the decisions made to sustain our biodiversity, saving millions of animals. Humans everywhere are taking steps towards saving biodiversity, and creating a cleaner earth. Humans can prevent the deaths of endangered species and turn our waters into a clean environment for aquatic life.

Sources:

http://wwf.ca/about_us/successes/

http://wwf.ca/conservation/oceans/

http://wwf.ca/takeaction/events/gcsc.cfm

http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm

http://marinebio.org/Oceans/Threatened-Endangered-Species.asp

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/cetaceans/whalesanddolphins.html

http://s3.amazonaws.com/picable/2008/04/28/152640_Lake-Superior_620.jpg

Comments:

http://jaelorenz.blogspot.com/2010/09/world-wide-fund-for-nature-wwf.html#comments

http://nirojsbioblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/motorized-transportations-effect-on.html#comments