Anonymous,

We've lost half of our honeybee colonies in fewer than 40 years.1

With bees now dying faster than ever, it's clear we need to do all that we can to save them. And that starts with banning the worst uses of bee-killing pesticides. That's why Environment Colorado and our national network are making a special push until the end of September to save the bees.

Ask Gov. Jared Polis to ban the worst uses of bee-killing pesticides in Colorado.

Bees are dying off by the millions. While climate change and habitat loss are contributing factor, study after study shows that neonicotinoids, or neonics -- bee-killing pesticides that are heavily used throughout the U.S. -- alter bees' behavior as they try to feed and mate, and even damages their neurological systems.2

Agriculture in the U.S. has become 48 times more toxic to insects over the last 25 years. These neonics are so potent that they account for 92 percent of that increase in toxicity.3

These pesticides are applied everywhere in the U.S., from crop fields to store seeds to wildlife refuges. And they're easily spread by wind and insects, so they don't stay put -- they've even been found in the Great Lakes. And they can take anywhere from months to years to wear off.4,5

The mass bee die-off should be a national emergency. Bees are vital pollinators and we need to work as quickly as possible to restrict these bee-killing pesticides.

Make September the month we act to save the bees.

We know that statewide efforts can make a big difference in saving the bees, and it's where we're seeing the most progress. Maryland, Connecticut and Vermont have passed laws to ban the sale of neonics to consumers. Minnesota, New Jersey and Oregon have taken some steps to protect bees from these bee-killing pesticides, and California has called for planting bee-friendly vegetation on state lands.

It's time to make Colorado the next state to take action on neonics.

Ask Gov. Polis: Ban the worst uses of neonics in Colorado.

Thanks for making it all possible,

Hannah Collazo
State Director

1. Aylin Woodward, "Last year, 40% of honey-bee colonies in the US died. But bees aren't the only insects disappearing in unprecedented numbers," Business Insider, June 21, 2019.
2. Lauren Aratani, "Pesticide widely used in US particularly harmful to bees, study finds," The Guardian, August 6, 2019.
3. Lauren Aratani, "Pesticide widely used in US particularly harmful to bees, study finds," The Guardian, August 6, 2019.
4. Michelle L.Hladika, Steven R. Corsi, Dana W. Kolpin, Austin K. Baldwin, Brett R. Blackwell, Jenna E.Cavallin, "Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA," Environmental Pollution, April 2018.
5. Lauren Aratani, "Pesticide widely used in US particularly harmful to bees, study finds," The Guardian, August 6, 2019.