Save British Bees... petition

[Mountainheart]

Had this from 38 Degrees: please take part...

Thx
David

Dear David,

British bees are in danger. Three species of bees are already extinct and others are in rapid decline. Strong evidence points to particular pesticides being to blame for killing them. [1] This week we have a chance to persuade the government to protect our bees and ban these harmful pesticides.

A government consultation on pesticide use ends next Monday. [2] Normally the only people they would hear from would be the strong pesticide industry. But by handing in a large petition, we can make sure that the bees have someone to stand up for them.

Can you sign a petition now to demand the government phase out the pesticides that are killing our bees?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-bees

France and several other European countries have already started banning these pesticides, but the UK government is yet to be convinced. [3] Together, by responding in our thousands, we can send a strong message to the government and counter the lobbying from the pesticide industry.

Last week thousands of 38 Degrees members responded to a poll on what we should be concentrating on together. Over 70% of responses highlighted that protecting bees was an important issue. [4] This week is our chance to do something about it.

Sign the petition now and help save our bees:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-bees


Thanks for being involved,

Robin, Belinda, David and the 38 Degrees Team


NOTES
[1] Friends Of the Earth - Bee Cause: http://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/bee_cau ... 35042.html
[2] The government DEFRA consultation: http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/07 ... esticides/
[3] The Independent: European and American reports say nerve agents may be a danger, but the UK goes on using them: http://www.independent.co.uk/environmen ... 14020.html
[4] Link to blog post with poll results: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/october-2012-poll

[Ade Sundog]

Signed.

Nice one

[nollaig]

Good stuff.

~n.

[mabby]

I live in the United States. When I first moved to my home in the countryside of Michigan, I had tons of bees -- all sorts of bees. I had planted a pollinator garden specifically for bees, birds, and dragonflies. Despite my best efforts, this year I had very few bees. You absolutely MUST insist that your government ban the use of PONCHO and GROUCHO pesticides; that farmers only plant a certain number of acres of any one crop and only a limited number of hybrid plants; that the public be educated as to the importance of bees and of their kind nature (here in the US most people can't tell a bee from a wasp or a hornet); and that bees not to trucked long distances from their homes. There was a fascinating documentary done here that I'm sure you can get access to called the Vanishing of the Bees that is extremely informative. Since my bees started leaving or vanishing, my garden is not so lush, the plants come up smaller. Believe me, I am witnessing the dimishing of variety of plants and species since the bees left. It is true: All things are connected. Fight with all of your powers to save your bees. You will also be saving your crops, you trees, your birds, your health and your planet as you know it now. Finally, plant food for bees to help them through this crisis. They love lavendar, garlic flowers, sedum, honeysuckle, etc. Don't buy the manufactured gunk for hummingbirds (bees drink it too), make it out of water and sugar 4 parts water to 1 part sugar -- boiled and changed every 3-4 days. Bees are important creatures, worth saving, worth knowing, worth admiring. I have seem them do magical things. I have asked at least 1,000 of them to move over to other plants to allow me to put varnish on a board and they did it without complaint. When I was done and thanked them, they simply moved back where they had been working -- no buzzing, no stinging, just cooperation.

[jamesjturner]

signed

love the bees

[ShadowCat]

And you can do more... feed them, shelter them, give them drinks...
reverence for bees: water
permies on planting for bees
permies on bee reverence

[Ulchabhán]

Petition signed.

[Gallobhaí]

Wishing you the in the UK the best of luck with this endeavor.
I've planted a large diverse garden this year for the first time to help dilute the exposure by introducing more non-toxic plants for bees to feed from.
I will try to find whats going on with regards to this issue in Ireland and see how I can help.
Thank you for the inspiration.