John,

The numbers are shocking: Our farmland is now 48 times more toxic to bees than it was just 25 years ago -- largely due to the widespread use of bee-killing "neonic" pesticides.1

Despite the dangers, in most states you can buy these pesticides with the click of a mouse -- and Amazon will deliver them right to your door.

When bees are dying by the millions, we can't afford to keep using the pesticides that harm them -- not when we count on bees to keep entire ecosystems healthy and in balance. And we need companies like Amazon to do their part.

Tell Amazon: You can't same-day ship a new species. Stop selling bee-killing neonic pesticides.

Thanks,

Ellen

1. Oliver Milman, "Fears for bees as US set to extend use of toxic pesticides that paralyse insects," The Guardian, March 8, 2022.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Environment Colorado <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, December 17, 2023
Subject: Tell Amazon: Stop selling bee-killing pesticides
To: John xxxxxx <[email protected]>

John,

These pesticides are potent neurotoxins. They attack bees' brains, killing some bees outright while leaving others helplessly paralyzed or uncontrollably shaking.

They're called neonicotinoids, or neonics for short, and they're so devastating to bee populations that they've been banned in Europe.1 But in most U.S. states, a quick search on Amazon is all it takes to have them delivered right to your door.

Tell Amazon: Stop selling bee-killing neonic pesticides.

Neonics are relative newcomers in the world of pesticides. They first burst onto the scene in the 1990s -- and their use has skyrocketed ever since.

Since their introduction, neonics have made America's farmland 48 times more toxic to bees than it was just 25 years ago.2

At the same time, we've seen flashing red warning lights for our bees. Honeybees just suffered their second-deadliest year on record.3 A quarter of North American bumblebee species are threatened with extinction.4

At risk are the rusty patched bumblebee, which became the first-ever bumblebee to be added to the endangered species list; the American bumblebee, whose population has plummeted by 90%; and hundreds more.5,6

With so many bee species suffering, Amazon can deliver a little relief.

Tell Amazon to take neonic pesticides off its virtual shelves.

Environment Colorado helped win a law to restrict some of the worst uses of bee-killing pesticides in Colorado. And by calling on major companies to act, we can do even more for bees across the country.

Amazon is the world's largest online retailer, with millions and millions of Amazon Prime members in the U.S. alone. It can single-handedly make a big difference for the bees.

Amazon can and should do its part to help save the bees -- after all, it can sell a lot of things, but it can't same-day ship a new species.

But to convince Amazon to stop selling neonics, we need to make sure the company hears from as many concerned Americans as possible.

Call on Amazon to do its part to help save the bees.

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Oliver Milman, "Fears for bees as US set to extend use of toxic pesticides that paralyse insects," The Guardian, March 8, 2022.
2. Oliver Milman, "Fears for bees as US set to extend use of toxic pesticides that paralyse insects," The Guardian, March 8, 2022.
3. "US honeybees suffer second deadliest season on record," The Guardian, June 23, 2023.
4. Benji Jones, "Honey bees are not in peril. These bees are.," Vox, January 19, 2023.
5. Merrit Kennedy, "U.S. Puts Bumblebee On The Endangered Species List For 1st Time," NPR, January 11, 2017.
6. Elizabeth Gamillo, "The American Bumblebee Has Nearly Vanished From Eight States," Smithsonian, October 6, 2021.