Help Is On The Way

Maybe the saying is true that one man/woman can't make a difference, but what if millions of people could stand together to change the world? If you knew that you could help save a species that is responsbile for feeding 1 in 3 people and accounts for 50-80 percent of the global food supply would you do it? Perhaps it isn't a matter of whether or not you would, but how you would. Just recently I came across an organization that is truly making a difference in world of food consumption and sustainability. Food Tank sums up their mission like this: "The Food Tank Think Tank is for the 7 billion people who have to eat every day. We will offer solutions and environmentally sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty by creating a network of connections and information for all of us to consume and share". Sounds pretty great, and the information they are sharing is unbelievably valuable. The reason I was drawn to their website was because of the attention they are bringing to 13 organizations that are actively pursuing solutions to saving the honey bees.

The Enemy Revealed

There is simply no debating the fact that the honey bee population is in steady decline. As Sanya Friedman said "Recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it". We understand now that a problem exists, but who is behind the creation of such a devastating problem? In a previous post I touched on the fact that the most significant influence to the decline in the honey bee population comes from the use of neonicotinoids on crops. What are neonicotinoids? Neonicotinoids are a neuro-active insecticide similar to the chemical nicotine. Shell company began development of this chemical insecticide in the early 1980s and has grown to be the most widely used insecticide throughout the world today. These types of insecticides are used on commercial crops and ornamental plants which leave a chemical residue in pollen and nectar which is extremely harmful to bees. I recently read an article on Mother Nature Network revealing that these insecticides are not only harmful for insects, but may pose a health risk for people, especially children. As a matter of fact the European Union has previously warned the people of the potential health risks associated with these products for bees. If that doesn't gain your attention you should know that the EPA is currently reviewing this type of insecticide for potential environment safety issues. Yikes! So why is it that nothing has been done to start fixing the problem? Well actually something significant has happened! A report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) made it clear that neonicotinoids posed a major risk to bees and made a recommendation that these insecticides not be used on crops that are attractive to bees. The response by the European Commission was a two year continent wide suspension of these insecticides. A major win for bees and their supporters! The next step is to draw attention to these findings and implore the United States to follow suit. I understand the potential losses in profits but can we really afford to lose the entire honey bee species? I think not. The time to act is now and now is as good a time as any! I do believe we can begin to fix this issue by creating a collective strategy to design and implement new safer forms of insect prevention and crop production. These companies may have created the problem but it doesn't mean they can't help correct it. I will leave you with this... “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner. -Nelson Mandela