Environmental Update
From time to time there will be postings of a global information. This information is posted because it may be of interest to some, but not all readers of this blog. The number of toxins present in the human body is increasing rapidly. Those toxins are present in the environment.
This video was produced by Vice News - "VICE News is an international news organization created by and for a connected generation. Bringing you an unvarnished look at some of the most important events of our time, and shining a light on underreported stories around the globe. We get to the heart of the matter with reporters who call it like they see it."
True story- The Worcester Telegram carried an article on Fukushima within the past month. When the comments on that story became controversial, the article was pulled from the online version of the Telegram.
Bee -pocalypse
Could you imagine a fall without fresh apples? Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce or pumpkin pie? Chips without guacamole? It’s hard to picture, but this could be our not-so-distant future if we don’t take action now to save our number one food security guard -- the honeybee.
In recent years, nearly one third of commercial bee colonies in the U.S. have been dying over the winter. In Oregon last year we saw the biggest mass killing ever, as 50,000 bumblebees dropped dead after coming in contact with a pesticide used purely for aesthetic purposes. The situation is so bad that people have started to dub it the “Bee-pocalypse.”
Why is this a big deal? Because one third of the food produced in North America, including nearly 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables like apples, pumpkins, cranberries, and avocados, rely on honeybees for pollination.
In recent years, nearly one third of commercial bee colonies in the U.S. have been dying over the winter. In Oregon last year we saw the biggest mass killing ever, as 50,000 bumblebees dropped dead after coming in contact with a pesticide used purely for aesthetic purposes. The situation is so bad that people have started to dub it the “Bee-pocalypse.”
Why is this a big deal? Because one third of the food produced in North America, including nearly 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables like apples, pumpkins, cranberries, and avocados, rely on honeybees for pollination.
Losing our bees wouldn’t just leave us without delicious guacamole and apple pie, it would be a crushing blow to our economy. We could lose more than $15 billion a year in agricultural production in the U.S.
The good news is that Congress has finally started to take notice. Just last week, a bill (H.R. 2692) to save honeybees by temporarily banning certain pesticides reached 65 co-sponsors.
This is the closest we’ve ever gotten to actual legislation to protect our bees, so we need your help to spread the word and keep the momentum going. If enough of us speak out, we can get more members of Congress to support this bill and make saving our bees a reality.
Tell your member of Congress to support H.R. 2692 and save our honeybees!
The mass death of our honeybees is not a natural phenomenon. Europe is seeing huge population declines as well. The difference is that the European Union is working to reverse this trend with a two-year ban in place on neonicotinoids, the pesticides linked to mass bee deaths. We need your help to get the United States to follow suit.
This bill would temporarily halt certain pesticides while safer pesticides are being developed. And get this -- we may already have the key to a safer pesticide. Researchers in England have been investigating the venom of one of the world’s most deadly spiders, the Australian funnel web spider. The spider’s venom creates a bio-pesticide that is still fatal to common farm pests, but appears to have absolutely no effect on bees.
We have a very real shot at saving the bees, but only if we stop the use of dangerous pesticides and develop new, safer alternatives. But we have to act now to convince Congress to do something about it. There are 65 members supporting the bill so far -- will you help us get even more on our side?
There’s no simple solution to the bee crisis, but we do know about some steps we can take now to move us in the right direction and the first one is passing this bill. The success of our crops and security of our nation’s food supply hinges on whether or not we can protect our bees.
Best,
Vanessa
Vanessa Kritzer
Director of Digital Strategy
League of Conservation Voters
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H.R. 2692-"(8) Recent science has demonstrated that a single corn kernel coated with a neonicotinoid is toxic enough to kill a songbird."
Big corporations run our world. The original flag of the Colonies during the American Revolution is believed to have been the flag of the British East India Company a corporate entity. Fluoride is in your water because big corporations wanted it there, not your dental hygienist or school nurse. One out of two men will get cancer up from one in six twenty years ago and the rate for women is one out of three. Hopefully we can wake up to the attacks being made against our health from these big corporations. Many of us support these big corporations through government pensions, payroll deductions or 401 K contributions or the like. We live in confusing times.
ReplyDeleteAs a farmer, my husband is very careful not to spray in the daytime when the bees are working. Loosing our honey bees is no joke. I have seen Bart spray in the dark, and even at that he only sprays if it is absolutely necessary. This is a reason we go to classes, to learn what is safe and what is not. Just because they sell something at Wallmart does not mean it is not toxic. Some of the stuff they sell in a store, should not be used by the public that has no real knowledge of what they are doing, in my opinion. Read the small print, even if you need a magnifying glass. You don't want to do more harm than good. Bev.
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