The Massacre of Bees
Canadian Bee Keepers Sue Pesticide Manufacturers
Earlier this month, Canadian beekeepers filed a class-action lawsuit against two pesticide manufacturers in the Ontario Supreme Court. Dozens of beekeepers are joining forces and seeking $400 million in damages for the devastation on bee colonies caused by neonicotinoid pesticides.
What Are Neonicotinoid Pesticides?
The class of pesticides called “neonicotinoids” are applied to seeds prior to planting. The chemicals coat the plant, making the entire thing poisonous. This means that birds or insects that visit the plant for nectar or pollen are poisoned. These deadly pesticides don’t just kill certain species of insects. They kill them all. One can only imagine what these pesticides are doing to the human body as well.
Why We Need Bees
There are 100 crops that 90% of the world depends on. 71 of these crops are pollinated by bees. Without pollination, the plants cannot survive.
Bee colonies are disappearing all over the globe. Researches believe that the primary factor behind colony collapse disorder (CCD), a phenomenon marked by honeybees abandoning their hives and dying during the winter, is because of the neonicotinoid pesticides. These pesticides have become very popular over the past 20 years.
Neonicotinoids Are Damaging our Ecosystem
According to a comprehensive international review published in June 2014, neonicotinoids are severely damaging ecological integrity worldwide, on a scale comparable to the damage done by DDT prior to the 1970’s. Why are they being used at all? According to researcher Dave Goulson, of the University of Sussex, England, there is no benefit to farmers. There is not a single study that has shown they increase yield.
Create a Bee Sanctuary in Your Garden
It took many years, and many destroyed lives before DDT was banned. Who knows how long it will be before the same happens with neonicotinoids? In the meantime, you can help the bees survive by growing plants in your garden that attract them.
Bees love herbs like mint, basil, sage, thyme, oregano, lavender and chives. They love all kinds of flowers including tulips, sunflowers, lilacs and wisteria. If you are lucky enough to be able to grow fruits and vegetables, add berries and melons. Include vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, winter squash, pumpkins and flowering broccoli. Don’t kill the dandelions or clover. Make sure you buy only non-GMO plants and never use chemical pesticides. Let’s all do our part to help the bees survive.
To your Health!
Miongoni mwa mauaji ya nyuki nchini Canada, wafugaji wa nyuki nchini humo wamewashtaki wauzaji wa dawa za kuua wadudu katika mahakama ya juu ya jimbo la Ontario. Wanyama wa nyuki wa Marekani wametoa ombi la dola milioni 400 kwa ajili ya uharibifu uliosababishwa na dawa za kuua wadudu za aina ya neonicotinoid. Dawa za Kuua Wadudu za Neonicotinoid Ni Nini? Jamii ya dawa za kuua wadudu zinazoitwa "neonicotinoids" hutumiwa kwenye mbegu kabla ya kupandwa. Kemikali hizo hufunika mmea huo, na kuufanya uwe na sumu. Hilo lamaanisha kwamba ndege au wadudu wanaotembelea mmea huo kwa ajili ya nectar au chavua ya maua huathiriwa. Dawa hizi za kuua wadudu haziiui tu spishi fulani za wadudu. Wanawaua wote. Mtu anaweza tu kuwazia kile dawa hizi za kuua wadudu zinafanya kwa mwili wa binadamu pia. Kwa nini tunahitaji nyuki: Kuna mazao 100 ambayo 90% ya ulimwengu inategemea. Katika mimea hiyo, 71 ya mimea hiyo hupandikizwa na nyuki. Bila chavua, mimea haiwezi kuishi. Makoloni ya nyuki yanatoweka ulimwenguni pote. Utafiti unaonyesha kuwa sababu kuu ya ugonjwa wa kuanguka kwa makoloni (CCD) ni kwa sababu nyuki wanaondoka kwenye makundi yao na kufa wakati wa majira ya baridi kali. Dawa za kuua wadudu zimekuwa maarufu sana katika miaka ya hivi karibuni. Neonicotinoids ni hatari kwa mazingira ya binadamu, na kwa mujibu wa utafiti uliofanywa na utafiti wa kimataifa uliochapishwa mnamo Juni 2014, neonicotinoids ni hatari kwa mazingira ya binadamu, kwa kiwango kinachofanana na uharibifu uliosababishwa na DDT kabla ya miaka ya 1970. Kwa nini zinatumiwa hata kidogo? Mtafiti Dave Goulson wa Chuo Kikuu cha Sussex, Uingereza, anasema kwamba hakuna faida yoyote kwa wakulima. Hakuna utafiti wowote ulioonyesha kwamba huongeza mavuno. Kuanzisha Hifadhi ya Nyuki katika Bustani Yako Ilichukua miaka mingi, na maisha mengi yaliharibiwa kabla ya DDT kupigwa marufuku. Ni nani anayejua ni muda gani utakapopita kabla ya jambo hilohilo kutokea na neonicotinoids? Wakati huohuo, unaweza kuwasaidia nyuki waendelee kuishi kwa kukuza mimea katika bustani yako inayowashawishi. Nyuki hupenda mimea kama vile mint, basil, sage, thyme, oregano, lavender na chives. Wao hupenda aina zote za maua kutia ndani tulips, maua ya jua, lilacs na wisteria. Ikiwa una bahati ya kukuza matunda na mboga, ongeza matunda na matango. Ni pamoja na mboga kama matango, nyanya, squash majira ya baridi, matango na maua broccoli. Usiue dandelions au clover. Hakikisha ununua mimea isiyo na GMO tu na usitumie dawa za kuua wadudu. Hebu sote tufanye sehemu yetu kusaidia nyuki kuishi. Kwa Afya Yako!