Dear John,

First, take the fact that, on average, U.S. beekeepers lost nearly half of their hives in the last year.

Then, consider that 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species, including
bees and butterflies, are on the brink of extinction.

Finally, add that one of every three bites of food you and I eat is pollinated
by bees and other pollinators.

It doesn’t take a genius to do that math. Bees are “canaries in the coal mine,”
warning us of an imminent and frightening threat to our food system. If we want
to save the bees and ourselves, we must act NOW.

Help stop the alarming decline of bees and other pollinators: Donate $10 or more
NOW!

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A key culprit in the decline of bees is the massive increase in the use of
neonicotinoid pesticides.

Neonics are long-lived and systemic. They’re often used to treat seeds, but they
remain in the plant as it grows, exposing bees to it in the nectar and pollen.

These pesticides can kill bees outright. They interfere with bees’ navigation
systems -- so they can’t find their way back to the hive. And they make bees
more vulnerable to diseases and pests.

Neonics are widely used in agriculture. So if we want to protect bees from these
toxic pesticides, we need to get them out of our food system. At Friends of the
Earth, we’re working to push supermarkets, the federal government, and Congress
to phase out neonics -- but we can’t do this without you, Friend.

Help save bees from toxic pesticides: Donate $10 or more before it’s too late!

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The science is clear: We should ban neonics and other toxic pesticides. But
companies like Bayer-Monsanto are making millions in profits from these
chemicals.

But with Friends of the Earth members like you at our side, I know we can take
on these huge corporations and their cronies in the Trump administration and
save bees from toxic pesticides.

We have a comprehensive plan to get toxic pesticides out of our food system and
stem insect declines:

• We’re working with progressive champions in Congress to introduce legislation
to restrict pesticides nationwide. We’re building support for a suite of
pollinator protections in Congress -- from the Saving America’s Pollinators Act
to a bill to ban Dow’s toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. Together, we can push
Congress to take a strong stand against Big Ag and protect our wild places and
rural communities.

• Friends of the Earth is exposing the pesticide industry’s cozy ties to the
Trump administration, revealing a revolving employment door for pesticide
industry executives and the suppression of science on pesticides’ harm to human
and pollinator health.

• We recently held a petition delivery with allies outside the EPA and delivered
nearly 150,000 comments demanding that the agency ban Monsanto’s Roundup® --
another bee-toxic pesticide. The pressure is working -- the EPA just extended
the comment period to seek even more public input.

• We’re working at the state and local levels to protect pollinators from
pesticides. In the last few months alone, New York and Vermont passed bills to
ban pollinator-toxic pesticides like neonics and chlorpyrifos, and California
announced a new plan to ban chlorpyrifos. We’re continuing work in five other
states to pass bills to ban toxic pesticides, including glyphosate. Plus, we’re
working with cities to pass policies to ban this and other toxic pesticides.

• We’re pushing food retailers to eliminate pesticides, including glyphosate,
from their supply chains. In response to pressure from Friends of the Earth
members like you, Kroger just updated its pollinator policy to reduce the use of
bee-killing pesticides in the food it sells and increase its organic offerings.
But the commitment is non-binding and insufficient. So we’ll keep pushing Kroger
to do better -- while demanding other supermarket giants follow suit.

These actions won’t only help bees. Butterflies and a host of other insects are
dying at alarming rates. Scientists are warning if we don’t stem insect decline,
we could soon face the “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems.” We must
greatly reduce our use of pesticides if we are to save these crucial species.

You know that when we work together, we can move mountains. You and I have
already transformed the garden industry, including convincing Home Depot,
Lowe’s, Costco, True Value, Ace Hardware and Walmart to eliminate bee-killing
pesticides in garden plants.

But bees are still at risk, thanks to the toxic way we grow our food. We’ve got
to act fast -- before these beautiful and iconic pollinators disappear forever.

Make a generous contribution today and help Friends of the Earth save bees from
toxic pesticides!

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation
will go through immediately:

Express Donate: $10
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Standing with you,
Tiffany Finck-Haynes,
Pesticides and pollinators program manager,
Friends of the Earth

Contact Us:Friends of the Earth U.S.

Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA

1-877-843-8687

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