We will bee preparing for actions in 2015 very soon! Including the
March Against Monsanto and Pesticide Free Neighborhoods Project
In the meantime Bee Safe and Bee Merry!
 |
| Bee Merry Design by Christine Rossi Art ©2014 |
Monday, December 15, 2014
Friday, November 21, 2014
Speak up for the Bees Before November 24th!
The inter-agency Pollinator Health Task Force, announced over the summer by President Obama, is accepting public comments until November 24.
Join us in calling for swift, meaningful action to protect bees — particularly from the clear threat of pesticides.
Co-led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Pollinator Health Task Force is charged with promoting the “health of honey bees and other pollinators."
Let’s make sure they do just that! Will you sign the petition urging the Task Force to effectively and directly address bee-toxic pesticides?
Take action >>
www.panna.org/issues/related-actions/bees-task-force-feedback
The Bees Thank You!
Saturday, November 15, 2014
This Weekend BEE at the Green Festival in San Francisco
The GREEN FESTIVAL SAN FRANCISCO
At the Fort Mason Center
2 Marina Blvd.
San Francisco CA 94123
All Day today until 6PM
and All Day Sunday until 6PM!
Friday, October 17, 2014
Please take some time to Read and Sign this Petition!
It’s encouraging that the White House is taking on this critical issue, recognizing the importance of bees for food, farming and our economy. But we need to ensure this new move results in real, long-lasting protections for pollinators — and we need your help to do it.
Sign the petition urging President Obama to ensure this task force results in meaningful protections for bees!
http://action.panna.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=15965
Monday, October 13, 2014
Why Our Pollinators Need Our Help
Honey Bees and Native Pollinators Need Our
Help (Published in the Daily Californian)
©By Christine M. Rossi, September 2014
On August 16, 2014 Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates proclaimed Honey
Bee Awareness Day in the City of Berkeley. This coincided with National Honey
Bee Day. Folks across the nation and in several other countries celebrated the
Honey Bee by educating the public on the contributions of these tiny
pollinators, share information about how they are in danger of complete
population collapse world wide; and protest against Bayer, Monsanto, Dow and
other Corporations who promote mono-crop agriculture and the extensive use of
GMO’s, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to control pests on crops (all of
which they produce).
 |
| Honey Bee on Ivy Flowers ©CRossi 2014 |
Honeybees are responsible for one out of every three bites
of food that we eat, not to mention their contribution to the pollination of
food crops for livestock, and their impact on the diversity of the ecosystem as
a whole. Along with native pollinators (honeybees were introduced from Europe
in the 1600’s) they are responsible for maintaining pollination of most fruits
and vegetables that we consume as well as cotton, alfalfa, almonds, sunflowers,
coffee… and the list goes on.
There are many factors that are contributing to the
population drop including climate change, loss of habitat, potable water,
limited diet, the varroa mite, pathogens; and the overuse of pesticides on
crops. One group of pesticides called Neonicotinoids are a big part of the
problem.
In the
U.S., Neonicotinoids are currently used on the majority of corn and canola
crops, cotton, sorghum, and sugar beets; and about half of all soybeans.
They’re also used on the vast majority of fruit and vegetable crops. They are systemic and persistent, which means
they stay in the plant and make their way to the pollen and nectar. Bayer
Corporation produces three of the common Neonicotinoids on the market and one,
Imidacloprid, is the most widely used, found in most home garden treatments as
well as used on most crops. Interestingly enough in 2012 Bayer voluntarily removed
it for use on the almond trees in California, because of its high toxicity to
bees.
Bayer and
other chemical producers like Dow and Syngenta who also produce Neonicotinoids
blame this crisis on everything but their products. Profit is their bottom
line. The research on Bee health by these corporations does not seem to be very
holistic in their approach. The focus has been on control of bee pests such as
the Varroa and tracheal mites with more chemicals, and the continued denial
that their chemicals have any effect on the health of bees and other
pollinators.
Several
studies have been published over the past couple of years listing
Neonicotinoids as one of the biggest factors in the population decline; Yale
University, 2013, Harvard University 2014 and Pesticide Research Institute 2013
& 2014, Nature 2014. The European
Union has banned the use of Neonicotinoids, and GMO seeds which are treated
with Neonicotinoid on crops in Europe.
Effects of
Neonicotinoids on bees include death; at lower doses, it weakens their immune
system making them more susceptible to pathogens and pests. It is a neurotoxin that
also causes disorientation, damaging a bee’s homing ability, and their ability
to feed. All of which are signs of Colony Collapse disorder.
I am part
of a grass roots effort to bring this issue to the forefront and to help people
understand what we are up against, to encourage the public to vote with their
checkbooks, support the pollinators by planting pollinator friendly plants,
buying from nurseries that sell organic or certified pesticide free plants. Don’t
buy plants from big box stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, Orchard Supply
Hardware, or Wal-Mart and don’t buy garden products produced by Bayer, Dow,
Syngenta or Monsanto.
Also,
write your representatives in the State Government. The California Assembly
just passed a bill AB-1789 postponing investigation of the issues with
Neonicotinoids until at least 2018, which means no regulation changes on their
use in California until 2020! This is a dangerous and shortsighted precedent
and Governor Jerry Brown needs to be encouraged to veto this bill.
Bayer,
Monsanto and other corporations say they want to make a difference but all I
see is a desire to make a profit at the expense of the rest of us. Instead of
throwing more chemistry at the problem, it would be amazing to see a paradigm
shift in attitudes and see some of the vast profits that these corporations
make put to use coming up with better ways to manage crops, change the way
crops are planted to encourage biodiversity, not only for Honey Bees, but also
for other pollinators that are essential for our food economy.
“Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson in 1962 helped ban the use
of DDT; which was responsible for the decline of birds and fish at the top of
the food chain. We are in the throws of another “Silent Spring”, this at the
base of the food chain which will not only affect natural diversity but us humans
and our ability to feed ourselves. It is time to empower the public to take a
stand or suffer the consequences.
Sources:
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Oakland Climate Change Rally a Great Success!
We had a great day at the NorCal Climate change Rally on Sunday!
Some photos and a link to more photos at the 350 Bay Area website!
http://bayareasept21-
Some photos and a link to more photos at the 350 Bay Area website!
http://bayareasept21-
Breaking News! Seattle Bans Neonics!
BREAKING NEWS: THE CITY OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON BANS THE USE OF NEONICOTINOID INSECTICIDES!!
On Monday, September 22nd, 2014 the Seattle City Council overwhelmingly approved an ordinance, R. 31548, that bans the use of products containing Neonicotinoids.
The Resolution states:
• The City of Seattle will NOT purchase or use any neonicotinoid pesticides for any purpose and will seek to use only pollinator-friendly methods of weed and pest control management on any city-owned or operated land.
• The Mayor and the Seattle City Council supports a national moratorium on the sale and use of neonicotinoids.
• The Mayor and Seattle City Council strongly urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the registration of imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotafuran and any other neonicotinoids until the EPA can complete its environmental assessments.
• The Mayor and the Seattle City Council strongly urges the White House Task Force on Pollinator Health to recommend or institute an immediate moratorium on all uses of neonicotinoids.
• The Mayor and Seattle City Council strongly urges businesses operating within the City of Seattle to take immediate steps to ensure NO plants, seeds, or products containing neonicotinoids are purchased, sold, or used within the City of Seattle.
***The City of Eugene, Oregon, became the first community in the nation to specifically ban from city property the use of "neonic" pesticides earlier this year. Spokane, Washington, was next in line in June. Shorewood, Minnesota, followed in August. THANK YOU, to all the citizens of SEATTLE, for stepping up to#SaveTheBees and #SaveOurPollinators - which city will be LUCKY NUMBER FIVE?!?
MANY THANKS to the Coalition of Organizations, and many volunteers that made this possible, including (but not limited to) Central Co-op (who co-sponsored the online petition), Seattle Tilth, Bee Safe Neighborhoods,Bee Against Monsanto, Seattle March Against Monsanto, NW Center For Alternative To Pesticides,Change.org, CAGJ, Beacon Food Forest,Seattle Sierra Club and all of the amazing people we met, who personally signed the offline petition. Thank You!
Read more here:
https://www.change.org/p/
And here:
http://www.pesticide.org/
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Images from the People's Climate Change Rally in Oakland CA, September 21
Its too bad we didn't get much media coverage, the rally was amazing!!! Maybe not as big as NYC but still a couple of thousand at least! These are photos taken by one of our group.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
NORCAL CLIMATE CHANGE RALLY! OAKLAND: SEPTEMBER 21
We will BEE at the Climate Change Rally in Oakland with a hive and information on September 21 from 2 to 5PM
At the Lake Merritt Amphitheater
12th Street and Lake Merritt Blvd.
.jpg)
Join Us!
Official site for the rally: http://bayareasept21-350bayarea.nationbuilder.com/
Monday, September 1, 2014
My Article Published in the Daily Californian
I have just had an opinion article published in the Daily Californian.
Link here...Honeybees and Native Pollinators Heed Our Help
Unfortunately, the graphic is a bit off-putting. The staff artist used a phalaenopsis Orchid, which is a house plant, as the bee flower. I appreciate that they ran the article but having graphics that indicate false information is a step down for aspiring journalist.
I think this is the point they were trying to make...
 |
| graphic taken from Eco Watch website... showing how systemic pesticides work on the bees and pollinators |
Monday, August 25, 2014
Gardeners BEE-Ware! Report on Neonicotinoids in your Bee Friendly Plants!
PLEASE READ!
Please take a look.
The report was Drafted by Pesticide Research Institute on what they found in "Bee Friendly" plants at Big Box Stores.
Also information on the toxicity of the major Consumer Brands of garden pesticides sold at these box stores.
Remember these pesticides affect all the pollinators not only Honeybees!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
A Few More Photos from National Honeybee Day
 |
| The Stars of the Show! |
 |
| Booth At the Berkeley Farmers' Market |
 |
| The Best Worker Bees Ever! |
 |
| More of the Best Worker Bees! |
Monday, August 18, 2014
Honey Bee Awareness Day at Berkeley Farmers' Market
 |
| Photos by Cecilia Stolzer-Grote |
A successful day all around!
.jpg)
Many thanks to:
- Ecology Center Farmer’s Market
- BeeAgainstMonsanto
- We Bee Gardeners
- Westbrae Nursery
- Transition Berkeley
- The Berkeley PD
- Green Peace Oakland
- Organic Consumers Association
- Friends of the Earth
- Pesticide Action Network
- The City Of Berkeley
- Mayor Tom Bates and his staff
- Occupella
- Bonnie, Ally, Rachael and Dan
- Bee Keepers Everywhere
 |
| ...and of course, THE BEES!!!!! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)