John,

Do you know the Electric Slide? How about the Cupid Shuffle?

The last time you learned a new group dance, it wasn't that different from something honeybees do. Not only do they perform a "waggle dance" to communicate nearby threats or pollen sources, but research shows that this dance can be culturally transmitted, and bees can become better dancers by watching each other.1

But fewer and fewer of these amazing creatures are hitting the dance floor as essential pollinator populations continue to plummet.

That's why we've set a goal to raise $25,000 before midnight on Sept. 24 to keep all of our conservation campaigns going strong. Donate today to help protect our planet's most precious pollinators.

Hundreds of North American bee species are facing extinction, and rampant use of bee-killing pesticides called "neonics" is a huge part of the problem.2 These toxic pesticides target bees' brains and can lead to neurological damage or even death.3

Alongside our national network of organizations, we're working to protect our pollinators by:

• Banning bee-killing pesticides state-by-state: 11 states have already prohibited the use of bee-killing pesticides, including right here in Colorado. We're using that momentum to push Colorado to do even more for pollinators.4

• Taking neonics off store shelves: We're calling on companies like Amazon and Walmart to phase out the sale of bee-killing neonics for their customers. This would make a massive dent in the amount of neonics sold and could have a ripple effect to other corporations.

• Pushing for federal action: Along with running state, local and corporate campaigns, we're also working to cement nationwide protections for pollinators by calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict the use of neonics and regulate pesticide-coated seeds.

All of our campaigns are made possible by grassroots support like yours. Will you donate today to help us reach our goal and protect our planet's essential pollinators?

Whether it's teaching one another dance moves, recognizing human faces, or experiencing emotions like optimism or fear, the more we learn about bees, the more complex, unique, and diverse we realize they are.5

These are creatures worth saving.

Will you help us save the bees by making a donation to all of our important conservation campaigns?

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Mario Aguilera, "Bees don't just wiggle wiggle, they learn -- the newly discovered complex social behavior behind the 'waggle dance'," University of California, March 16, 2023.
2. Gina Cherelus, "Hundreds of North American bee species face extinction - study," Reuters, March 1, 2017.
3. Steve Blackledge, "3 ways neonic pesticides are harming bees," Environment America, April 19, 2024.
4. Wendy Wendlandt and Steve Blackledge, "What's being done to save the bees?" Environment America, August 21, 2024.
5. Annette McGivney, "'Bees are sentient': inside the stunning brains of nature's hardest workers," The Guardian, April 2, 2023.

Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you. Environment Colorado may transfer up to $50 per dues-paying member per year into the Environment Colorado Small Donor Committee.