Bees: more awful news
Bree LaCasse
A terrifying study has found that the exact same pesticides causing the massive global bee die-off are now killing other animals as well.
The global bee die-off has been happening so fast that scientists are still scrambling to detect all the impacts. And now, we've learned that neonic pesticides are killing frogs, common birds, fish and earthworms as well as bees.
But with Trump in the White House and Scott Pruitt running the EPA, there's no chance the federal government will take the needed steps. In fact, the modest protections for bees we were able to get in place during the Obama administration are now under attack.
Bees and other pollinators are absolutely critical to our food and farms -- these tiny insects are responsible for pollinating approximately 80% of all food crops in the United States.
In Europe, neonics are already subject to strict regulations and will likely be outlawed completely within the next few years. We can do that here, but for the next four years, leadership will need to come from the local level.
The good news is that it's happening. A growing list of cities and towns from Eugene, Oregon, to South Portland, Maine have taken action to ban bee-killing pesticides. But it's up to us to speak out and keep the momentum going.
Thank you,
Bree LaCasse
For more information:
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/scientists-say-no-longer-any-doubt-about-impact-of-pesticides-on-bees/article36295969