Hello all. 
My sister, a keen environmentalist, just sent me this letter -- of interest I 
would guess to all of us on this list.

From: Alex Wilks -- Avaaz.org <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Subject: Save the bees: amazing response


Wow! Over the weekend half a million of us have signed up to save the world's 
bees. Let's get to a million and get the ban now -- send this on to everyone 


Dear friends,




Bees are dying off worldwide and our entire food chain is in peril. Scientists 
blame toxic pesticides and four European governments have already banned them. 
If we get the US and the EU to join the ban, other governments across the world 
could follow, and save bees from extinction. Sign the petition and forward this 
urgent appeal: 


 Silently, billions of bees are dying off and our entire food chain is in 
danger. Bees don't just make honey, they are a giant, humble workforce, 
pollinating 90% of the plants we grow. 


Multiple scientific studies blame one group of toxic pesticides for their rapid 
demise, and some bee populations are recovering in countries where these 
products have been banned. But powerful chemical companies are lobbying hard to 
keep selling these poisons. Our best chance to save bees now is to push the US 
and EU to join the ban -- their action is critical and will have a ripple effect 
on the rest of the world.

We have no time to lose -- the debate is raging about what to do. This is not 
just about saving bees, this is about survival. Let’s build a giant global buzz 
calling for the EU and US to outlaw these killer chemicals and save our bees and 
our food. Sign the emergency petition now, and send it on to everyone and we’ll 
deliver it to key decision makers:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/?vl 

Bees are vital to life on earth -- every year pollinating plants and crops with 
anestimated $40bn value, over one third of the food supply in many countries. 
Without immediate action to save bees many of our favourite fruits, vegetables, 
and nuts could vanish from our shelves. 


Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations 
-- some bee species are already extinct and last week we learned that some US 
species are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been 
scrambling for answers. Some studies claim the decline may be due to a 
combination of factors including disease, habitat loss and toxic chemicals. But 
increasingly independent research has produced strong evidence blaming 
neonicotinoid pesticides. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the 
main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee killers. But, 
Bayer continues to export its poison across the world 


Thisissue is now coming to the boil as major new studies have confirmed the 
scale of this problem. If we can get European and US decision-makers to take 
action, others will follow. It won’t be easy. A leaked document shows that the 
US Environmental Protection Agency knew about the pesticide’s dangers, but 
ignored them. The document says Bayer’s "highly toxic" product is a "major risk 
concern to non target insects [honey bees]". 


We need to make our voices heard to counter Bayer’s very strong influence on 
policy makers and scientists in both the US and the EU where they fund the 
studies and sit on policy bodies. The real experts -- the beekeepers and farmers 
-- want these deadly pesticides prohibited until and unless we have solid, 
independent studies that show they are safe. Let's support them now. Sign the 
petition below, then forward this email: 


https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/?vl 

We can no longer leave our delicate food chain in the hands of research run by 
the chemical companies and the regulators that are in their pockets. Banning 
this pesticide will move us closer to a world safe for ourselves and the other 
species we care about and depend on. 


With hope, 

Alex, Alice, Iain, David and all at Avaaz 

MORE INFORMATION 

Bee decline could be down to chemical cocktail interfering with brains
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/22/chemicals-bees-decline-major-study?INTCMP=SRCH


Bee briefing
http://www.soilassociation.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RXLEm9WXrHk%3D&tabid=439


$15 Billion Bee Murder Mystery Deepens
http://www.businessinsider.com/colony-collapse-disorder-still-unsolved-lead-researcher-had-connections-to-bayer-2010-10
 

“Nicotine Bees" Population Restored With Neonicotinoids Ban
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/nicotine-bees-population-restored-with-neonicotinoids-ban.php
 

EPA memo reveals concern that pesticide causes bee deaths
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?entry_id=79910 

Beekeepers want government to pull pesticide
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/beekeepers-want-government-to-pull-pesticide-1107701.html
 

Bees in freefall as study shows sharp US decline
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/03/bumblebees-study-us-decline?INTCMP=SRCH
 

Pesticide industry involvement in EU risk assessment puts survival of bees at 
stake
http://www.corporateeurope.org/agribusiness/news/2010/11/16/pesticide-industry-future-bees


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