(from a ist serve, useful books)

I was attending a conference last week at which Paul Hawken spoke. In
response to a question about GMO's he responded:

1. Although earlier he and others had been invited by Monsanto to help them
become a corporation devoted to sustainability, the corporation was
uncommitted over the long term, and he considered this a false start. He
said the worst part was that he liked the leaders, including Shapiro, as
individuals. They think they are "doing good" but they are completely off
base. (Details are in "Natural Capitalism" written by Hawken, Amory Lovins
and Hunter Lovins.) He felt that we in the US owed the Europeans,
particularly the UK, a great debt for bringing the issue of GMO's into the
public forum. Otherwise it would have been "a done deal" before we knew
what was happening. He felt that we "must stop" this misguided madness or
else there was more in the corporate plans of the biotech industry that
would lead to social injustices like humanity has never seen. Those who had
money would produce enhanced "GenRich" class to control, and the rest would
be "Naturals" who would be serfs. Even after reading and hearing Paul
Hawken before, I was startled by the force of his statements. He commented
that it was up to the consumers to halt this overtaking of our food
supplies by a few multinationals. Then would come the social justice issues
and that needed public responsibility expressed with equal power.

2. He recommended a "primer" for all of these issues. I have gotten a copy
and I recommend it also. It is the Summer 1999 issue of the Wild Duck
Review, which cost $4 and can be ordered by phone at 530-478-0134, or by
mail from Wild Duck Review, P.O. Box 388, Nevada City, CA 95959.

It has essays by:
Wendell Berry, "Thy Life's a Miracle" (reprinted with permission)
Chris Desser, "Unnatural Selection or Bad Choice"
David Loy, "Remaking Ourselves"
Jack Turner, "Modern Forests"
Catherine Keller, "Playing God"
David Petersen, "Of Gadgeteers and Bionic Deer"

Interviews with:
Stuart Newman, "Epigenetics vs. Genetic Determinism"
Andrew Kimbrell, "Critiquing the Biotech Worldview"
Rich Hayes, "Human Genetic Engineering"
Richard Strohman, "Upcoming Biological Revolution"
Freeman House, "Wild Salmon, Totem Salmon"
Kristin Dawkins, "WTO and Trade Policies for GMOs"
Martin Teitel, "Framing Ethical Debates"

And, a very nice 8 "bullet" summary of the GMO issues by the Editor and
Publisher, Casey Walker.