by Chom Greacen
Special to the Weekly
Gardeners beware. Some “bee friendly” plants that you buy may end up harming, instead of, helping bees.
The health of honey bees, bumble bees and other pollinators have been under serious threat and their populations in decline worldwide.
Without pollinators, production of two-thirds of the food crops that humans eat would also be in danger.
The fastest growing class of synthetic pesticides, neonicotinoids (or “neonics”) have been identified as a major contributing factor of bee colony collapse disorder. Based on a growing body of scientific evidence the European Commission recently issued a moratorium on the use of three neonicotinoid compounds.
The U.S. EPA has yet to take a similar action or inform the public of the potential risks, however. Consumers are thus mostly unaware of what danger might lurk behind their plants, flowers and foods contaminated with neonics and other pesticides.
Unbeknownst to consumers, some plants, such daisies and tomatoes, marketed as “bee friendly” and sold at retail outlets including Home Depot and Lowe’s, have been found to contain neonicotinoids that sadly end up poisoning, rather than nourishing, bees.
To protect the future of pollinators and the future of our foods and human survival, it is necessary for citizens to be better informed about what is hurting our bees, and what we can do to make our gardens and our island safe for the pollinators.
Fortunately for Lopez residents and visitors, a leader of fast-growing Bee Safe Neighborhood movement is coming here to join the conversation on the island as a special guest speaker. A Boulder, Colorado native, Molly Greacen will share her experience in mobilizing different communities to declare themselves “Bee Safe.”
“Starting in my neighborhood, the Bee Safe Neighborhood movement has now gone viral in Colorado. I am excited to visit Lopez and help contribute to the conversation to make Lopez and perhaps the San Juans “Bee Safe”.
Molly Greacen will be joined by Eric Hall, long time Lopez bee-keeper and owner of the popular “U-Pick strawberry” Crow Foot farm, in leading an informative evening discussion.
All are invited to learn about and join the Lopez Bee Safe conversation, Friday Aug. 1, 7 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church. The event is free to the public, sponsored by Lopez Community Land Trust. For more information, contact Rhea Miller at 468-3723 or visit www.bee-safesjc.org.
