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Veganism

Veganism is a diet and an alternative lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Vegans try hard to not to use or consume animal products of any kind.

The most common reasons for becoming a vegan are an ethical commitment or moral conviction concerning animal rights, the environment, human health, and spiritual or religious concerns. Two particular concerns are the practices involved in factory farming and animal testing, and the intensive use of land and other resources required for animal farming.

Vegan diets, which sometimes are called strict or pure vegetarian diets, are a subset of vegetarian diets, which are credited with lowering the risk of colon cancer, heart attack, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, prostate cancer and stroke. Properly planned vegan diets are healthful and have been found to satisfy nutritional needs.

However, poorly planned vegan diets can be low in levels of calcium, iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Vegans are therefore encouraged to plan their diet and take dietary supplements that are appropriated.

Inês Estrelinha

Alternative lifestyles- Vegetarianism

This is a video about being vegetarian...

Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes meat, fish and poultry. There are several variants of the diet. Most vegetarians consume dairy products and many eat eggs.

Being vegetarian is not only a way of eating. It's also a way of life, a way of thinking.



Diana Chagas

Cloning

Cloning is the process of duplicating animals. Through this method we can create copies of DNA fragments, cells or organisms.

Cloning can be useful for people who need an organ transplant, for people who have damaged cells and need their rejuvenation (in case of cancer, for example) or for sterile couples because they will be able to have children through cloning procedure. Parents who risk passing a defect to their child can be helped by cloning, too. This procedure can be useful for endangered species. Duo to cloning we have the possibility to progress, to improve the quality of science and life.

But cloning has disadvantages, too. If it was allowed, people would wish to duplicate themselves and it would reduce genetic variety. We must remember that the existent technology isn´t really developed and so cloning method has a low fertility rate. It can create genetic defects, too. If a person was cloned she would lose her individuality and there would have the risk of her clone be treated as a second-class citizen. These facts could have psychological effects on society.

Some species like mice, sheep, monkeys, cows, cats, mules and horses were already cloned. The fertility rate of human species is 0%.

This issue divides people´s opinion because although it brings benefits in medical and animal science, it can be used in an unethical way and it can change life as we know it.

Dolly

Diana Chagas

Genetic Manipulation

Genetic Manipulation is a process that consists in direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. It uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter the structure and characteristics of genes directly.

Genetic Manipulation has some advantages. It will help medical sciences because new medical drugs can be developed via genetic research and genetic manipulation with animals. In this way, it is useful to improve the production of these drugs or to improve the quality of the drugs. With Genetic Manipulation’s approval and evolution food production will be better and more efficient. Genetic Manipulation is good for the economy because it will stimulate the demand for jobs and unemployment will decrease, for example. Besides this, preventing diseases is possible through genetic manipulation. It will be possible by removing genes that cause hereditary diseases from the parent’s reproduction cells. Finally, Genetic manipulation is good for science because if experiment with it is allowed, it will become possible to start all kinds of research of things related do DNA and humanity will learn a lot more about life.

However, Genetic Manipulation has also some disadvantages. Knowing too much about our future could be a disadvantage for us, because if we discover that we will be seriously ill in 5 years time, we will be worried and sad everyday and we will experience great difficulty in finding a job. Besides this, it is dangerous to start changes in nature through artificial processes because it could cause unpredictable and irreversible changes to the ecosystem. Furthermore, animals mustn’t be used freely by scientists because they have the same rights of humans. Moreover, farmers won’t be free to choose what to grow on their own land. Finally, the effects of genetic manipulation in the long run are unknown.

Concluding, Genetic Manipulation divides people. Some people think that it should only partly be allowed, but other people think that it should be allowed more generally. It happens because it has consequences on different aspects like on health, environment, economy, social and international relations, which can be positive or negative consequences.

Inês Estrelinha

"With My Own Two Hands" - Ben Harper

"I can change the world

With my own two hands

Make a better place

With my own two hands

Make a kinder place

With my own two hands

With my own

With my own two hands

I can make peace on earth

With my own two hands

I can clean up the earth

With my own two hands

I can reach out to you

With my own two hands

With my own

With my own two hands

I'm gonna make it a brighter place

I'm gonna make it a safer place

I'm gonna help the human race

With my own

With my own two hands

I can hold you

With my own two hands

I can comfort you

With my own two hands

But you got to use

Use your own two hands

Use your own

Use your own two hands

With our own

With our own two hands

With my own

With my own two hands"

Inês Estrelinha