An account of the last two centuries of the Anthropocene, the Age of Man. How human beings have progressed so much in such a short time through war and the selfish interests of a few, belligerent politicians and captains of industry, damaging the welfare of the majority of mankind, impoverishing the weakest, greedily devouring the limited resources of the Earth.
Monsanto is the world leader in genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as well as one of the most controversial corporations in industrial history. This century-old empire has created some of the most toxic products ever sold, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the herbicide Agent Orange. Based on a painstaking investigation, The World According to Monsanto puts together the pieces of the company’s history, calling on hitherto unpublished documents and numerous first-hand accounts.
When Blinker is helping his dad as lifesaver at the sea in Ostend, they discover dumped chemicals by Blix Industries.
Before starting a family, Soozie Eastman, daughter of an industrial chemical distributor, embarks on a journey to find out the levels of toxins in her body and explores if there is anything she or anyone else can do to change them. She has just learned that hundreds of synthetic toxins are now found in every baby born in America and the government and chemical corporations are doing little to protect citizens and consumers. With guidance from world-renowned physicians and environmental leaders, interviews with scientists and politicians, and stories of everyday Americans, Soozie uncovers how we got to be so overloaded with chemicals and if there is anything we can do to take control of our exposure.
Our most mundane daily lives are full of chemicals. Embedded in plastics, detergents and toasters, nestled in food, cans, toys, shampoos, they are invisible and everywhere at once, including in our bodies. Consumer society and petrochemical magic wander into our little interiors under names that are strictly unknown and perfectly barbaric. Phthalates, brominated flame retardants, parabens, bisphenol-A have the unfortunate disadvantage of burglarizing our hormonal privacy: they are endocrine disruptors. For the renowned scientists who appear in this documentary, this chemical impregnation is not unrelated to the development of so-called modern diseases – from breast cancer to obesity. The observation, rather serious, does not prevent the film from taking the side of the second degree.
