[Occupymendocino] HAVE YOU SIGNED ONE OF THESE, YET?

[moxie at mcn.org]

Tell EPA to do its job and stop poisoning bees!

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As if the situation weren't bad enough for the bees already, EPA is once
again turning its back on protecting pollinators by proposing to expand
the use of yet more bee-toxic pesticides. Tell EPA to stop poisoning bees!

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14079
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Bees are essential for one out of three bites of food we eat. But they are
being wiped out by the widespread use of certain chemicals –
specifically systemic insecticides, like neonicotinoids ("neonics" for
short). Despite numerous scientific studies showing that these systemic
insecticides are harmful to bees, EPA is actually proposing to expand the
use of two such bee-toxic pesticides - thiamethoxam and sulfoxaflor.

When will EPA get the message that enough is enough?  Bee-toxic pesticides
are already used on over a hundred crops – and now EPA wants to approve
more uses of these chemicals?

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14079

Unlike the U.S., the European Union has already suspended the use of
thiamethoxam for its potential to harm honeybees. In the U.S., Center for
Food Safety has sued the EPA to suspend the use of thiamethoxam [1], and
some of the nation's largest beekeeping associations have sued the EPA and
Dow Chemical to remove sulfoxaflor from the market; in fact, even EPA
admitted that sulfoxaflor  is "very highly toxic" to bees [2].

EPA has dug itself into a dangerous hole, but instead of putting the
shovel down, they seem intent on continuing to dig. Beekeepers across the
country continue to report record-high bee kills. Recently, over 80,000
bee hives were decimated in California almond orchards, and again the
damage was linked to bee-toxic chemicals [3].  And it's not just honey
bees suffering – native bees like bumblebees are also dying as a result
of pesticide poisoning.  Nearly one year ago, the largest bumblebee kill
ever recorded took place in Oregon after a pesticide application in a
Target parking lot [4].

The EPA has a public comment period open until May 27th – meaning we
have less than one week left to make our voices heard.

Tell EPA to do its job and stop poisoning bees!

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14079

Thanks for everything you do,
Center for Food Safety

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For more information:

[1]
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/1911/cfs-beekeepers-and-public-interest-groups-sue-epa-over-bee-toxic-pesticides

[2]
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/304/pollinators-and-pesticides/press-releases/2781/center-for-food-safety-joins-fight-against-newest-bee-killer-sulfoxaflor

[3]
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/19/6338235/beekeepers-search-for-answers.html

[4]
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/06/pesticide_confirmed_in_bee_dea.html

Other:

CFS Pollinators & Pesticides fact sheet, April 2013
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/files/pollinatorspesticides_03498.pdf

CFS report – Heavy Costs: Weighing the Value of Neonicotinoid
Insecticides in Agriculture
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/304/pollinators-and-pesticides/reports/2999/heavy-costs-weighing-the-value-of-neonicotinoid-insecticides-in-agriculture





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