Week 1: ME; Maize y Tortillas / Grain and Bread

 

My name is Gustavo Tepetla. I am a sophomore in DMA. I have a wide range of  interests stemming from a creative professional background in design, which is why I applied to the DMA program. Throughout my life experiences, I found that everything is interconnected, so an interdisciplinary approach, to me, is the best approach in problem solving. This special topic course interested me significantly because of its connectivity to nature and and understanding of biodiversity. I am curious​ to find new ideas and techniques I can apply towards designing and building sustainable living spaces and objects, all in effort to change the current environmental​ trajectory and impact of the current building materials and building practices. I find that as a designer, my job is to break the rules, and completely obliterate the monotonous mental conditioning and indoctrination of ideas and concepts, in order to build on a new foundation of thought that is founded on the creative aspects of design; basically, if everyone is building cubes, I want to build hexagons.

 

I found the conversation and presentation of Maize and Grain very interesting in that it is the largest most vital crop grown in the Americas. Maize (corn grain), in Mexica ancestry, was used by “Quetzalcoatl to create the third version of humans that are present on earth today”. The Maya also share a similar creation story relating to “corn being the beginning of mankind”. Maize is considered a sacred part of Mexica culture and diet. It is also a major food staple throughout what is now known as the Latin Americas. It is so vital, that organizations take part in protecting the organic strains of maize to have the biodiversity needed for its survival. Being that it is such a huge part of the cultures, major farming corporations have created a major distribution around the commodity of corn for use in the making of ethanol for fuel, its starches for creating sweeteners, and so this is also the main reason why maize is one of the most genetically modified crops on earth. Maize can be easily grown and produces very high yields, but being that it is also a major food source for insects, companies like MONSANTO produce very harmful pesticides to destroy those ecosystems, and now pesticides themselves have been made part of the genetic composition of the maize. This of course causes great damage to the eco-systems, as well as the consumers. Although the public is informed that the toxin levels are very low, I can only predict that over a long period of consuming the toxins, they will build up and cause harm (cancers) in humans. Since maize is a major staple in Latin American countries, many of its population are very dependent on it to make tortillas and many other foods.


Grains are also a major staple in many diets throughout European, Asiatic cultures. Grain, being that many populations are dependent on it for survival, but it too is being genetically modified to kill off pests. However, what is never discussed is the toxicity levels in the grains, and how much is needed to cause physical harm. Also, what happens when the wheat is removed interily, and products like WONDER BREAD are produced and introduced to the markets. What is found is that people began to get sick from consuming non nourishing​ breads made without the wheat and buffered with trace elements and flavoring. In conclusion, we found it is best to make our own bread from whole wheat, and making tortillas from crushed corn because of  the nourishment, and the peace of mind knowing there are minimal harmful chemicals in the food. In conclusion, I found that GMOs are not all bad, but bioengineered food is, and that one must be aware of the differences and make informed choices as to what they consume.

 


Works Cited

 

“THE AZTEC CREATION MYTH.” YouTube, Fiona Passantino, 6 Sept. 2017, youtu.be/QRU8pucTvpw.

“The Mayan Creation Myth.” YouTube, Fiona Passantino, 20 Dec. 2017, youtu.be/NIhx4Nu9bP8.

“How Humans Made Corn.” YouTube, Soliloquy, 30 Apr. 2017, youtu.be/yR4BQ5Zbww0.

“Seeds of Death: Unveiling The Lies of GMO's - Full Movie.” YouTube, The Progressive Radio Network, 23 May 2013, youtu.be/a6OxbpLwEjQ.

“Neil DeGrasse Tyson Gets to the Bottom of GMOs.” YouTube, Mashable, 30 Aug. 2017, youtu.be/aMDhUsxom0U.

“‘Food Evolution’ with Neil Degrasse Tyson and Bill Nye.” YouTube, Hammer Museum, 16 Feb. 2018, youtu.be/G9wnbcSNM9Q.