All this information about GMOs can get overwhelming. But please don’t get discouraged. Start simple. As Robyn O’Brien says, just do one thing. Here’s a list of five you can choose from:
1. Sign a Labeling Petition
Now more than ever, the U.S. is starting to become aware of GMOs in our food, thanks in no small part to California’s “Right to Know” GMO Labeling Proposition 37. And it all started with a petition.
Visit your nearest natural / organic grocery store / food co-op or farmer’s market, and ask them if they’ve started a GMO Labeling petition you can sign. If not, give them this letter and ask them to consider starting one. If they won’t, you can always start one of your own!
2. Choose Organic
Whenever you can afford to, buy organic food: 100% / USDA Certified Organic-labeled products are non-GMO. If that sounds too daunting, simply try to avoid drinking soda—it’s loaded with high fructose corn syrup, which is a GMO (not to mention aspartame, which may be made with GMOs). If you really need to consume 17 teaspoons of sugar, at least switch to soda made from cane sugar.
3. Learn More
Watch a movie, read a book (click on those links for a handy list of each), or “like” our Facebook page, where we post regular GMO news updates, helpful recommendations for avoiding GMOs, and information about local and international labeling efforts.
4. Spread the Word
Tell your best friend. Tell your mom. Here’s a great tri-fold brochure you can print (it’s double-sided), fold, and hand out. Here’s a document from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine that you can print out and give it to your doctor. Every open mind adds up.
5. Stay Aware
Keep abreast of GMO news by subscribing to this blog, and/or to a monthly emailed newsletter (we love the ones from GM Watch and the Institute for Responsible Technology).
What Next?
At the bottom of this website page is a sample letter you can write to your local grocery store, and a poster you could print out and post.
Want to contact someone directly? This website page provides a list of Senators, legislators, and committee members you can contact to voice your opinion.
Still not enough? No problem…
For All You Over-Achievers:
Here are FIFTEEN things you can do! (courtesy of Alicia Bayer, Mankato Green Culture Examiner)
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© GMO-Awareness.com, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to GMO-Awareness.com with appropriate and specific links back to the original content.
GMO Awareness 
I like these ideas and I’m going to act on them asap! THX!!! Kimberley Scott
We’ll be cheering for you Kimberley!
I live in Costa Rica in a canton that is declared GMO free……Many of the Ticos I come into contact with do not know about GMO and so I thank you sooooo much for this site because I am educating myself more and more in order to relay the message to my farmer friends there. I personally have veg. gardens and we grow some rice, beans & corn for personal use and to trade with neighbors…I am always giving away plant starts & heirloom seeds to anyone who is interested. An so, otra vez, GRACIAS
You are so welcome… big kudos to you for helping to raise awareness! Thanks for the kind message. 🙂
Im shocked and appalled at all the ways the American consumer is being betrayed by our government and the very stores we purchase our food from! Thank you for doing what you do to help us stay informed and protect ourselves!
Shocked and appalled-just the words I was looking for. I mean, our own govt. as well as companies who were made successful by Americans. Backstabbers!
I am a appalled that this is allowed. I have a list of health issues and medications for those issues such as high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, obesity and the list goes on. This does not make me special. What this says is that I am one of many of Americans plagued by disease from a life of processed foods. It all makes sense now why I am in the fight of my life to change a lifetime of bad choices and no education as to how I got this far. Well knowledge is power! Sharing that knowledge is even more powerful. Thank you for helping me to be more aware and have a greater understanding of how I can turn my life around. My goal is to lose weight and get off of the meds. Understanding food labels and where food comes from will help to empower everyone when it comes to health and happiness.
Now here’s an organization I can really sink my teeth into.
Re: #2 – Diet soda should also be avoided due to GMO Aspartame.
Duly noted, thanks!
what if i am not a u.s. citizen?
what if organic food in my country is more expensive than GM one and cannot afford it?
why fights against GMOs just restrict their functionallity over U.S., U.E., Australia, when human beings are all over the world? isn’t this limited for the rest of us?
Of course i could start my own campaign here in my country but the same arguments could be used to ban those organizations to act in the entire world, not only for its impact on humans but also for its impact on the earth ( i.e. pollination. )
Federico, the whole world is fighting it… https://gmo-awareness.com/resources/anti-gmo-groups-international/
Not my country, i have to research about this and see where i can get any support.
Several countries have also banned GMO food as well. I want to say that Nigeria, or one of the countries in that part of the world burned acres and acres of GMO positive corn. It seems that here in the USA is the only place where these things can happen and go unsaid. Just goes to show that big business is truly running our government and we have got to put an end to this.
Also, be wary of dairy products, as they may soon contain aspartame without having to label it:
http://www.undergroundhealth.com/dairy-industry-pushing-hard-for-fda-approval-on-hidden-unlabeled-aspartame-in-milk/
We here in Australia are spreading the word of PERMACULTURE Design and the HOLISTIC approach to the earth!
We must also be VERY aware that we do NOT come accross as radicals/alarmists/late model hippies, as when the general public are made aware of what appears to be happening, they automaticaly put us in that genre’ as people in general are very hessitant to change of any kind. Permaculture has now a 35 year history of sucesses and a responsible workable and profitable alternative, “All of the WORLDS problems can be solved in a GARDEN” Permaculture is gaining momentum in its approach and now has more than 2.5 million designers schooled and working and has fed more people in the world than ALL of the foreign aide! we know it is the correct and responsible way fwd, please check us out
Great tips!!! I think I just read about Robin O’Brien in the Huffington Post (or maybe the Chicago Tribune??) Either way, I definitely think that food labels are SUPER important especially since food intolerances can be so abusive on your body!
Robyn was the inspiration for this website / Facebook / our efforts. If you haven’t already seen it, check out her video (and share!!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA
Thanks this is great!!!
If these GMO frankeinstein scientists, think their product is so safe, why the big fight over labeling? What are they afraid of? Come on Monsanto etal, grow some balls, stand behind your safe untested products.
Great tips! I always, always read food labels and i wish it were easier to tell if something was GMO or not… I agree with some other posters here that if there’s no need to worry they should just put it on the label. Someone should file a lawsuit to force them to label GMO foods.
Thanks for the article! I’ll admit that I’m a little late to the GMO debate but the more i learn about it the more it makes me feel like we in america are being mislead or at least they are withholding information from us. Scary stuff. I definitely plan to learn more about this.
I put a Link to your pages on my Facebook (513) people are now at least notified if they did not know before now. If they do, they can chime in with me. My Wife and I are turning our lives around and are going 100% Non GMO as much as humanly possible
Thanks so much for helping to raise awareness about GMOs!
Thank you for this awesome website! I am a 4th grade teacher in Florida and my class will be doing a science project on processed foods and GMOs for our school’s academic fair. I feel very strongly about GMO’s and this is my way of spreading the world and leading our future generation on the right path. This site was pretty much a one-stop-shop for everything I need to plan for this project! Thanks again! :o)
You are so very welcome. Comments like yours are what keep us motivated to keep researching and reporting!
This is Great!!!
I want to learn more about it!!!
For us and our children HEALTH We have to ACT NOW !!!
Thank you for the article and website, it is very helpful. I live in Canada and as far as I know Canada is not required to have GMO’s labeling. Why is this and how would one go about changing that? Thanks.
I’d urge you to follow / support / get involved with Rachel Parent, the founder of http://www.kidsrighttoknow.com in Canada. She’d leading the effort!