Petition To Save World’s Bees

In this last week Avaaz started an email campaign asking people to sign a petition to save the world’s bee population, which scientists believe is silently dying off. The email contained links to the articles below.

Do These Titles Bother You?

$15 Billion Bee Murder Mystery Deepens
Beekeepers want government to pull pesticide
‘Nicotine Bees’ Population Restored With Neonicotinoids Ban
Bee Briefing
EPA memo reveals concern that pesticide causes bee deaths
British Beekeepers’ Association to stop endorsing bee-killing pesticides
Pesticide industry involvement in EU risk assessment puts survival of bees at stake
Bee decline could be down to chemical cocktail interfering with brains

Current Situation Re: The Petition

Bees are vital to life on earth. We need them to ensure our supply of fruit, vegetables, nuts, oils and cotton, so over the weekend half a million concerned internet users signed the petition protesting the use of pesticides that seem to be killing bees which every year pollinate plants and crops valued at around $40bn value and which provide over one third of the food supply in many countries.

ARE Neonicotinoid Pesticides Killing Our Bees?

Avaaz states that recent years have seen a steep global decline in bee populations. Some bee species are now extinct and others are at just 4% of their previous numbers.

Some studies claim the decline may be due to a combination of factors including disease, habitat loss and toxic chemicals. But new leading independent research has produced strong evidence blaming neonicotinoid pesticides.

Bee populations have soared in four European countries that have banned these chemicals. The issue is coming to a head as major new studies have confirmed the scale of the problem.

A Petition To Combat The Chemical Company Lobby

Avaaz says a leaked document shows that the US Environmental Protection Agency knew about the pesticide’s dangers, but ignored them.

The document says Bayer’s ‘highly toxic’ product is a ‘major risk concern to non target insects [honey bees]’.

Currently there is a raging debate about what to do.

Powerful chemical companies are lobbying hard to keep selling the poison and the best chance to save bees seems to be to push the US and EU to join the ban, as their action will have a ripple effect on the rest of the world.

Avaaz wants to build a giant ‘global buzz’ calling for the EU and US to outlaw the problem chemicals. You can sign the petition now, and Avaaz will deliver it to key decision makers.

What Bee-Keepers And Farmers Say

Bee-keepers and farmers want the deadly pesticides prohibited until and unless there are solid, independent studies that show they are safe.

Sounds like our bees need some help