Dear John,
Scientists are sounding the alarm.
“A catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems.”
“One million species at risk of extinction.”
Bee-killing pesticides also driving songbird declines. Monarch butterflies declining by over 90% in the last 20 years.
A key driver of this ecological crisis is the massive over-use of toxic pesticides like Bayer’s neonicotinoids and Monsanto’s Roundup®. We’re not going to let bees, butterflies and the ecosystems that depend on them disappear on our watch -- but we need your help to save them before it’s too late!
Help stop a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”: Give $10 or more NOW!
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Insects are the canaries in the coal mine, showing us that the toxic way we grow our food isn’t working anymore. If we lose bees and butterflies, we could also lose many of the plants they pollinate. In the case of bees, that’s one in every three bites of food we eat.
And the numbers are alarming. Over the past 20 years, what used to be a roaring river of monarchs migrating to Mexico each year has become a trickle. These iconic pollinators are now at risk of extinction. And a key culprit is the massive increase in the use of Monsanto’s Roundup®. The use of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides, which also harm butterflies, has exploded over the past 25 years. And a new study found that in that same period, U.S. agriculture became 48 times more toxic to bees and other insect life -- and neonics are largely responsible.
Other countries around the world are starting to wake up to this crisis. The EU just widened its ban on bee-killing pesticides by banning the neonic thiacloprid. Thailand is banning glyphosate and other pesticides. But here in the U.S., our government is dragging its feet.
The EPA could ban the use of pesticides like Roundup® that imperil bees and monarchs. The problem is, it’s facing pressure from Donald Trump and his cronies in the pesticide industry to do nothing. That’s why it’s so important that you join us in fighting back. It’s going to take every one of us acting NOW if we want to save the monarchs and protect our food system.
Help save monarchs and other pollinators from extinction: Donate $10 or more before it’s too late!
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We’re going up against huge corporations and their powerful cronies in the Trump administration -- a daunting task. But with Friends of the Earth members like you at our side, I know we can win this fight and save the monarchs from extinction.
We have a comprehensive plan to get toxic pesticides out of our food system and stem insect declines:
- We co-authored a peer-reviewed study that found the massive increase in the use of persistent neonicotinoids creates a cumulative toxic burden in the environment that is much higher than that experienced by insects 25 or more years ago. Neonics can kill bees or other insects for months to years after application. The study will help push the EPA to take action by proposing a new way for the EPA to assess future potential risks to biodiversity before introducing new pesticides into the environment.
- We recently held a petition delivery with allies outside the EPA and delivered nearly 150,000 comments demanding that the agency revoke Monsanto’s license to pollute. The pressure is working -- the EPA extended the comment period to seek even more public input.
- Our campaigners are going to Capitol Hill to urge Members of Congress to restrict toxic pesticides. We’re building support for bills like the Saving America’s Pollinators Act and a bill to ban Dow’s nerve gas pesticide chlorpyrifos.
- 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 this legislative session 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 updated its pollinator policy to help reduce the use of bee-killing pesticides in the food it sells and increase its organic offerings. But the commitment doesn’t go far enough. So we’ll keep pushing Kroger to do better -- while demanding other supermarket giants follow suit.
The evidence is clear: We must greatly reduce our use of pesticides if we are to save these crucial species and prevent a “Second Silent Spring.”
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.
Imagine what we can do for the monarchs! But 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 the monarchs and our food system!
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Standing with you,
Lisa Archer,
Food and agriculture program director,
Friends of the Earth
