June 17th through the 23rd is National Pollinators Week! Bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, and other pollinators play a critical, behind-the-scenes role in the world we live in. Many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts we love to eat would not be available were it not for the work pollinators do. Ninety percent of flowering plants rely on polinators. Without these unsung heroes we wouldn't have apples, bananas, melons, peaches, even our morning coffee would be gone! These unsung heroes serve a very valuable role and now they need our help.
Bees around the world are disappearing. Whole hives are suddenly dying off. Thirty one percent of hives in the United States collapsed this past winter alone. Scientists have linked a class of pesticides called "neonics" to this rapid decline in bees. European officials have enacted a moratorium on the use of these pesticides and we are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do the same.
I sent the message; you can too at the Endangered Species Coalition site.