【兒子的一篇作文】《 Organic Is Good 》

剛剛清理電腦桌麵的圖片，發現這篇兒子幾年前（13歲時) 的一篇論文作業。當時他用我的電腦為了打印吧，記不清為什麽了。我通常不會刪除他在我電腦上偶爾放上去的東西，也一直沒有及時清理。最近在子壇裏開始學著其他的爸爸媽媽關注孩子的作業和成長，於是想看看他寫了些啥。啊，文中提到organic food. 昨晚我做fruit pie時還感歎呢，前天買了兩個organic 蘋果準備做apple pie. 有意思的是原本愛吃蘋果的我最近已經一年沒怎麽吃蘋果了，原因是我發現蘋果比較容易傷胃，且兒子說不喜歡咬起來的感覺，他覺得傷牙。總之，有藍莓等等其他水果，我也覺得蘋果沒有以前那麽好吃了。小的時候我居住在天津附近的山區，每年冬天爸爸要買三到四框蘋果，承德的蘋果的確很養人，自從13歲去天津之後，就覺得城市裏的水果很不新鮮味道也不是水果味兒，自此以後就吃得很少。

前天超市裏這種orgainc 蘋果打折，隻賣0.99/lb（平時大約要2.99/lb)，而且漂亮得讓我覺得不可信，猜想這裏邊的果肉一定很棉很酸。昨天做fruit pie時，嚐了一口，哇塞！又脆又香甜好吃！看來不能夠以貌取水果，不可以很主觀地判斷金玉其外就必然會敗絮其中。削價是促銷的手段，不一定是次品兜售。好了，感慨一番，把兒子的這篇作文貼出來。感覺自己有必要開始學二代移民的英文寫作了，我承認自己信手寫中文會很自如，可是寫英文論文的確很少練習。13歲的寫作能力比我這老媽要強太多，實在有太多要提高的方麵。

我們在幫助孩子成長的過程中，也的反思自己，提高自己的水平，否則這情何以堪。雖說青出於藍而勝於藍，我還是覺得蠻吃驚的，這本地的孩子的語文比我當年能摸索出焦頭爛額的作文要有內容和思想性，措詞也比我當年強太多了。兒子長得高高大大，跟他吃本地食品一定有直接的關係，我們不可能水果蔬菜肉都買成organic。這孩子心智的成熟的速度之快也跟吃的荷爾蒙食品有關係吧？ :-)   諸多感慨，不再羅嗦。謹此小文，讓父母們對自己的孩子多關心，多關注他們的內心世界。

《 Organic Is Good 》

 

 

Everyone in this room is all alike in one way; we have to eat to survive. What we make of our food is up to us. Over the years, scientists and researchers have found ways to "improve" the quality of the food we eat by genetically modifying them and spraying them with pesticides. These genetic modifications are said to improve the quality of the food and the pesticides are meant to keep insects away from the crops. If these genetic modifications and pesticides are so good for the crops, why do researchers always manage to find things in the chemicals that are detrimental to human health? Organic food is grown without these chemicals, and this is what benefits the people that eat the food and the people that grow the crops. Organic food is great for both the producer and consumer, as it benefits both customers and farmers in different ways.

 

Organic farming is good for the environment. When non-organic farmers spray their crops with all kinds of chemicals and pesticides, where do the leftover pesticides go? Into the dirt, where they are absorbed and the dirt no longer can support plant life. The pesticides sometimes go outside of the farm, and get absorbed by plants, soil, and also go in water. What this means is that pesticides will stunt plant growth, ruin soil, and destroy ecosystems by killing off animals and plants that get contaminated with the poisonous pesticides. Are insects so much of a problem that people have to harm the environment with pesticides? Organic farmers use mechanical and natural ways to prevent insects from infesting their crops. So the next time you bite into a juicy fruit, think about this. Do you really want someone spraying your food with chemicals?

 

Farmers who grow organic crops are also more healthy than farmers who are exposed to pesticides. Farmers who spray pesticides on their crops are more susceptible to being harmed by the pesticides since they get a firsthand experience with the harmful pesticides themselves. Paint fumes smell bad, right? When I was painting my house, it smelled AWFUL. The paint fumes were much stronger when experiencing painting firsthand, and my head was hurting a lot. Farmers who grow organic crops get more of a benefit than those who have to deal with pesticides.

 

Organic food is better for people who eat it. When consumed, people usually say that the organic food tastes better than the genetically modified food. The organic food also doesn't have growth hormones, genetic modifications, or pesticides on it, so you aren't ingesting any harmful material. A 4 year study done in Europe reported that fruits and vegetables organically grown had as much as 40% more antioxidants. Organic food tastes better and is more healthy, 2 added benefits in one!

 

Genetic modification also affects livestock negatively. Believe it or not, 80% of all antibiotics produced in the United States of America are used towards bovine and poultry farms to accelerate growth and prevent diseases. The hormones are mainly used to make the livestock reach maturity much faster than normal. Imagine yourself reaching puberty at the age of 10! You'll be growing up faster, and ready to work at a very early age. The only problem is that these hormones also negatively affect humans when we consume the meat. For example, a quote taken out of an article on these growth hormones states that: 

 

"In the late 1970s, the U.S. banned a growth hormone (DES) known to cause cancer. Rather than destroying the leftovers, the manufacturer shipped remaining hormones to Puerto Rico where the farmers liberally injected their chicken, pork and beef herds. Shortly thereafter, thousands of children as young as two were found to have reached full sexual maturity. The cause was residual DES in meat the children had consumed."

 

The children reached full sexual maturity at 2 years old! Imagine someone putting their oven at 900°C to warm up a French fry. It doesn't do it well, but it gets the job done.

Organically raised livestock are different, since the livestock isn't treated with any chemicals or hormones. 

 

Organic food is good for us because it improves the quality of our food and helps our farmers. Many people around the world are diagnosed with cancer. Eating organic will help to prevent that, and it still does taste good. Organic food is great, so why wouldn't you eat it?