Pesticides killing bees, killing off birds too!

The bee-harming pesticides are worse than we imagined. Research suggests that neonicotinoids aren’t just decimating bee colonies -- they’re hurting birds too. Researchers found that in areas with high concentrations of neonicotinoids, bird populations declined every year. This means our worst fears are coming true -- neonicotinoids may be moving up the food chain and killing our birds and our bees.

(This post is courtesy of SumofUs.org)

For the sake of the birds, the bees, and the whole food chain, we are challenging one of the biggest neonicotinoids producers of them all: Bayer. In two weeks, we’re going straight to Bayer’s door with our massive petition -- and we hope to have your name in our massive petition box. Please sign and share this vital petition here.

It's not just the bees anymore. Neonicotinoids are killing our birds too. It’s time to get Bayer to stop producing these chemicals.

We already knew that bees, insects, and small creatures that consume neonics are facing a decline in population. But the researchers are suggesting that Bayer’s neonicotinoids are even more harmful: Birds that eat food that consumed neonics are dying too.

The researchers searched extensively for any other outside cause that could account for the declines: urbanization, other environmental factors, land use changes. They couldn't find one. The only plausible explanation? Bee-harming neonicotinoids.

As expected, Bayer is trying to write off this scientific study. Why? Because for companies like Bayer, profits trump saving our food chain. By speaking up, we're changing the equation for these companies and making sure they protect the bees.

Here’s the scary part about all this: until more research is done, there's no way to tell how far up the food chain neonics can reach.

Thanks to all of us, we've convinced major American retailers Home Depot and Lowe's to stop stocking neonics. And we've pooled our resources to challenge Bayer's lawsuit against the EU for banning this chemical -- over a million of us have spoken out against the lawsuit. We've made a lot of progress together, but we're far from done.

We are going straight to their headquarters to deliver our message for Bayer to save the birds and the bees. Will you add your name to the petition?

More information:

Not just bees: Controversial pesticide linked to decline in birds, Wired, July 9, 2014
Neonicotinoids linked to recent fall in farmland bird numbers, The Guardian, July 9, 2014