To Be or Not to Bee Safe

Sunday August 3, at  2:30 p.m. upstairs at the Orcas Food Co-op

— by Chom Graecen —

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 islands safe for the pollinators.

Fortunately for Orcas 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 become “Bee Safe”.

“Starting in my neighborhood, the Bee Safe Neighborhood movement has now gone viral in Colorado. I am excited to visit Orcas and help contribute to the conversation to make Orcas and the San Juans “Bee Safe”.

Russel Barsh, Director of Kwiaht San Juans scientific research and educational non-profit with a wealth of knowledge about local pollinators, will join Molly Greacen in leading an informative evening discussion.

All are invited to learn about and participate in the Orcas Bee Safe conversation, Sunday August 3, 2.30PM at the upstairs of the Orcas Food Co-op. The event is free to the public, sponsored by Orcas Food Co-op. For more information, contact Regina Zwilling at 376-2009  or visit www.bee-safesjc.org.