Dear John,
A “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems.”
“One million species at risk of extinction.”
A “Second Silent Spring.”
Scientists from the UN to independent researchers are sounding the alarm about massive declines in insects worldwide. A key culprit is the dramatic increase in the use of toxic pesticides like glyphosate (aka Monsanto’s Roundup®) and bee-killing neonicotinoids.
Insects are the “canaries in the coal mine.” Their decline warns us of an imminent and frightening threat to our food system. At Friends of the Earth, we’re pulling out all the stops to get toxic pesticides out of our food system -- but we need your help.
Help save bees, butterflies and other insects from toxic pesticides: Donate $10 or more NOW!
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Scientists are sounding the alarm: We can’t afford to continue exploiting the natural world. Already, monarch butterflies are at record low numbers in California. The palm oil industry is threatening the iconic orangutan. And communities around the globe are facing sea level rise, food insecurity, and other impacts of climate change.
The UN’s recent report states that humans are harming the natural world and driving extinction at a pace “unprecedented in human history.” The report makes clear that we can no longer save our environment with piecemeal conservation solutions. We need to dramatically transform the way we grow our food, reduce consumption, and shift our economy. And we don’t have a moment to lose.
Friends of the Earth was made for this fight. We know how to bring people together and mobilize movements. We pull no punches. We are tough, scrappy and unafraid to stand up and speak truth to power. But right now, we need your help more than ever to stop this environmental crisis from getting even worse.
Help stop the “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”: Donate $10 or more NOW!
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We’re going up against giant corporations and the Trump administration to save our environment and food system -- a daunting task. But a key piece of the puzzle is addressing the rampant overuse of toxic pesticides. And Friends of the Earth members like you have shown that together, we can make meaningful progress.
We have a plan to get these toxic chemicals out of our food system and stem this catastrophic ecological damage:
- We’ve mobilized people like you to send more than 30,000 public comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service urging it to extend protections for monarch butterflies. And we organized a petition delivery to hand over thousands of petitions to the EPA to ban Roundup®.
- We’re supporting a new bill introduced by Representative Velazquez to ban neonicotinoids -- another monarch-harming pesticide -- in wildlife refuges. It’s hard to believe, but the Trump administration has actually allowed these toxic pesticides to be used in our protected wild places. This bill would reverse Trump’s decision and restore this critical monarch and bee habitat.
- We’re working at the state and local levels to protect pollinators from pesticides. Recently, 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. Costco has already announced steps to address pesticide use in the food it carries. Kroger -- the nation’s largest conventional food retailer -- recently updated its pollinator policy to help protect bees and butterflies. But the commitments are non-binding and insufficient. So we’ll keep pushing Kroger and Costco to do better -- while demanding other supermarket giants follow suit.
We’re running out of time to prevent the worst. The headlines seem to get more dire every day. But with Friends of the Earth members like you by our side, I know we can win this fight.
Make a generous contribution today and help stop Big Polluters and the pesticide industry from destroying our environment!
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
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Standing with you,
Tiffany Finck-Haynes,
Pesticides and pollinators program manager,
Friends of the Earth
