Fast food/GMO food is harming our bodies (obesity, toxins, etc)

  Description: it is a paper explaining how GMOs and tastth are causing harm to or: weight, bodies, and environment (natu'e, animals,etc) I will be sending you two files: one of the requirements for the essay and the second will be a craft I had written, in case you want to use that as a template- Thank you, and I will be uploading more files it you need anything! Animal activist and zoo goers have been on opposite sides of exhibit fences. Although, both are concerned with the common good of wildlife and preserving it. On one hand, zoos allow millions of people to be temporarily transported to exotic lands and experience things they have only seen on the Discovery Channel. On the contrary, animal activist view zoos as a deadly prison served as entertainment for the public. Zoos offer programs that help reverse animal endangered statuses, act as wildlife vets and serve as local education centers for wild and exotic animals. however, there is a stark contrast to the light and festive atmosphere of local zoos. Sadly, education sometimes takes a back seat to entertainment which leads to the abuse and jailing of innocent animals. An improvement to conserve wildlife and maintain the well being of all animals is what both sides strive to do.   The underlining principal of zoos is to educate the public and in order to properly educate, zoos must create an environment in which animals can thrive. “Animal husbandry practices ensure that the physiological, biological, psychological, and social needs of the animals cared for in AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are addressed. Providing for good animal welfare encompasses both ethical and scientific responsibilities. AZA-accredited institutions have an ethical responsibility to ensure the well-being of the animals in their care.” so long as there are institutions to regulate the treatment of animals in captivity, the public should feel at ease. it is in the zoos best interest to insure the well being of its animal occupants. in addition to housing animals for education purposes zoos also act as a buffer to animal extinction through their captive breeding programs. “Between 1982 and 1985 fewer than 25 California condors existed in nature. But thanks to efforts by San Diego Zoo Global and the California Condor Recovery Team, the bird has been successfully bred and reintroduced in the wild. As of May 2013, the total population of California condors was about 435, with 237 of those living in the wild.” Zoos implementation of programs like these has brought endangered animals back from the brink of extinction. The credibility and intentions of zoos and aquariums has always been a concern for animal activist. After Gabriela Cowperthwaite released the film Blackfish in July of 2013, about the cruel conditions of a killer whale named Tilikum at Sea World, the witch hunt intensified. However, the filmed failed to recognize the many contributions made by Sea world to marine wildlife. According to Michael Scarpuzzi, is the vice president for zoological operations at San Diego Seaworld, “Not one visitor who left SeaWorld more aware of the need to preserve the world around them. Not one word about the thousands of ill, orphaned and injured animals rescued by SeaWorld or the millions of dollars we dedicate to supporting conservation and research. There is no acknowledgment anywhere in the film of the great things SeaWorld does every day or the simple fact that our animals are healthy and passionately cared for.” The film paints a one sided picture that does not accurately depict the full extent of Seaworld’s positive attributes. The attractiveness of zoos and aquariums is apparent, the benefits are often presented in a positive light. Seldom seen are the negative affects captivity has on animals. “One risk factor for Asian zoo elephants is being moved between institutions, with early removal from the mother tending to have additional adverse effects. Another risk factor is being born into a zoo rather than being imported from the wild, with poor adult survivorship in zoo-born Asians apparently being conferred prenatally or in early infancy. We suggest stress and/or obesity as likely causes of zoo elephants' compromised survivorship.” With statistics like these it is hard not to question the motives of zoos and aquariums. Are the animals interest at heart or does the entertainment value take a precedent?   While many zoo enthusiast argue that there is educational value in visiting a zoo, a recent study conducted by PETA differs. “Over the course of five summers, a curator at the National Zoo followed more than 700 zoo visitors and found that “it didn’t matter what was on display … people [were] treating the exhibits like wallpaper.” He determined that “officials should stop kidding themselves about the tremendous educational value of showing an animal behind a glass wall.”” This proves that visitors are more concerned with the entertainment value of the animals rather than learning about them.   The negative affects of captive animals is becoming more apparent. “An Oxford University study based on four decades of observing animals in captivity and in the wild found that animals such as polar bears, lions, tigers, and cheetahs “show the most evidence of stress and/or psychological dysfunction in captivity” and concluded that “the keeping of naturally wide-ranging carnivores should be either fundamentally improved or phased out.”(10,11)” If the health and well being of the animals is not at the core of zoo policy then one must question the zoos intention. Another study found by News Discovery reiterates the claim made that animals are not being taken care of properly. “All 40 zoo chimps displayed some form of abnormal behavior, according to the researchers. The chimps would poke at their own eyes and other body parts, bang themselves against surfaces, pull out their hair, pace, drink urine, and do other things not associated with wild chimpanzee populations.” Due to health conditions, zoos have effectively changed natural chimpanzee behavior. Which means any educational value when studying these psychologically damaged animals becomes null and void. The argument that zoos and aquariums educate the public is hindered by the fact that zoos by design effectively change the natural behavior of the animals they keep. The amount of money and resources put to use restoring and preserving natural habitats is shadowed by the fact abuse runs rampant. This calls for change but which side should compromise? To truly affect change, the public must be educated and programs like the Captive Breeding and Wildlife Conservation should continue to be implemented. The answer is both must compromise. Zoos and aquariums need to spend more money on the exhibits of the animals to improve their well being psychologically and physically. Animal activist must work with the zoos and aquariums in order to create an educational environment for the public.