Hello,
Bee-killing pesticides have been found in "bee-friendly" plants purchased in London ... and in the 17 other Canadian and U.S. cities where volunteers for Friends of the Earth randomly purchased plants to test for neonicotinoid pesticide residue.
A new study released today by Friends of the Earth Canada shows that "bee-friendly" home garden plants sold at garden centres in Vancouver, London, and Montreal had residue showing they had been pre-treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been shown to harm and kill bees.
All four (4) plant samples from London, Ontario contained neonicotinoids ... giving us the sad distinction of being the only locale of all 18 participating North American cities to have all its samples contaminated.
Gardeners Beware 2014 looks at neonicotinoids in the horticulture industry ... important, because most research has been on agricultural use.
For me personally, the report confirms that gardeners who want to plant pollinator friendly, healthy gardens simply cannot do so from plants purchased at the standard retail greenhouses and big plant centres. We have to buy organic. We have to know our suppliers.
Friends of the Earth Canada's press release is here: http://foecanada.org/en/2014/06/gardeners-beware-2014/ (attached for your convenience and list of references is below signature line).
Of the Canada/U.S. total of 71 plants tested, 36 tested positive for neonicotinoids at an accredited USDA laboratory. Of the 36 positives, 15 of them - 40% - had 2 or more neonics present. Concentrations of the various neonicotinoids present ranged greatly from lethal to bees on contact/oral dose levels to "sublethal" levels which cumulate over time and repeat exposures to impair such things as motor and memory, fertility, and foraging efficiency.
The Gardeners Beware 2014 report is a joint undertaking of Friends of the Earth in Canada, Friends of the Earth U.S., and Pesticide Research Institute. It goes through the important issues concerning neonicotinoid insecticides, gives all testing information and sample results, has suggestions for individuals, governments, and retailers, and has a big resource list.
Please consider some of the ideas below to make your voice and actions heard on the issues of neonicotinoid contamination of plants.
Please check out the press release, the Gardeners Beware 2014 report in summary or in full, and send information over your networks. You will probably get at least one other notice from me today because your names are on the Community Gardens London main mailing list, and thanks for your patience.
Send letters to the editors of whichever local newspapers you choose, phone in to a radio station, write a blog, give a talk, write whichever level of government and party you choose.
Send a letter of support to whichever organization you know is trying to get neonicotinoids banned.
Please sign the Friends of the Earth Canada PETITION if you have not done so: http://foecanada.org/en/takeaction/home-garden-petition/
Sierra Club also has an action on the go: http://www.sierraclub.ca
Pick a nursery or plant retail outlet and ask questions of its manager and/or staff.
Keep an eye on the Community Gardens London website, where more articles will be posted on the News pages
Let me - Maureen, webkeeper - know if you/your organization are planning a bee-friendly event or an action against neonicotinoids. I will post this event, and do my best to get the information sent 'round on our enews list.
Also, please let me know of any garden suppliers who raise plants organically. I'm working on a list.
Those of you keeping closest tabs on the neonic issue will be aware that a new meta-analysis of 800 peer-reviewed studies was released yesterday (June 24/14) by the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides - a group of global, independent scientists - and confirms neonicotinoids are a key factor in bee declines and are harming beneficial organisms essential to functional ecosystems and food production, including soil microbes, butterflies, earthworms, reptiles, and birds. The Task Force called for immediate regulatory action to restrict neonicotinoids.
Such reinforcement between reports is important, and hurts the heart all at the same time.
Kindest regards, and sincerely,
Why's Woman
Gardeners Beware 2014 report: http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2014-06-new-tests-find-bee-killing-pesticides-in-51-percent-of-bee-friendly-plants
Friends of the Earth Canada: http://foecanada.org/en/
and the report on its site: http://foecanada.org/en/2014/06/gardeners-beware-2014/
Friends of the Earth Canada Bee Cause site: http://foecanada.org/en/environmental-justice/the-bee-cause/
Friends of the Earth Canada petition to stop neonic plant sales: http://foecanada.org/en/takeaction/home-garden-petition/
Friends of the Earth U.S. http://www.foe.org/beeaction
Pesticide Research Institute: https://www.pesticideresearch.com/site/
Task Force on Systemic Pesticides and the report: http://www.tfsp.info/
Bee-killing pesticides have been found in "bee-friendly" plants purchased in London ... and in the 17 other Canadian and U.S. cities where volunteers for Friends of the Earth randomly purchased plants to test for neonicotinoid pesticide residue.
A new study released today by Friends of the Earth Canada shows that "bee-friendly" home garden plants sold at garden centres in Vancouver, London, and Montreal had residue showing they had been pre-treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been shown to harm and kill bees.
All four (4) plant samples from London, Ontario contained neonicotinoids ... giving us the sad distinction of being the only locale of all 18 participating North American cities to have all its samples contaminated.
Gardeners Beware 2014 looks at neonicotinoids in the horticulture industry ... important, because most research has been on agricultural use.
For me personally, the report confirms that gardeners who want to plant pollinator friendly, healthy gardens simply cannot do so from plants purchased at the standard retail greenhouses and big plant centres. We have to buy organic. We have to know our suppliers.
Friends of the Earth Canada's press release is here: http://foecanada.org/en/2014/06/gardeners-beware-2014/ (attached for your convenience and list of references is below signature line).
Of the Canada/U.S. total of 71 plants tested, 36 tested positive for neonicotinoids at an accredited USDA laboratory. Of the 36 positives, 15 of them - 40% - had 2 or more neonics present. Concentrations of the various neonicotinoids present ranged greatly from lethal to bees on contact/oral dose levels to "sublethal" levels which cumulate over time and repeat exposures to impair such things as motor and memory, fertility, and foraging efficiency.
The Gardeners Beware 2014 report is a joint undertaking of Friends of the Earth in Canada, Friends of the Earth U.S., and Pesticide Research Institute. It goes through the important issues concerning neonicotinoid insecticides, gives all testing information and sample results, has suggestions for individuals, governments, and retailers, and has a big resource list.
Please consider some of the ideas below to make your voice and actions heard on the issues of neonicotinoid contamination of plants.
Please check out the press release, the Gardeners Beware 2014 report in summary or in full, and send information over your networks. You will probably get at least one other notice from me today because your names are on the Community Gardens London main mailing list, and thanks for your patience.
Send letters to the editors of whichever local newspapers you choose, phone in to a radio station, write a blog, give a talk, write whichever level of government and party you choose.
Send a letter of support to whichever organization you know is trying to get neonicotinoids banned.
Please sign the Friends of the Earth Canada PETITION if you have not done so: http://foecanada.org/en/takeaction/home-garden-petition/
Sierra Club also has an action on the go: http://www.sierraclub.ca
Pick a nursery or plant retail outlet and ask questions of its manager and/or staff.
Keep an eye on the Community Gardens London website, where more articles will be posted on the News pages
Let me - Maureen, webkeeper - know if you/your organization are planning a bee-friendly event or an action against neonicotinoids. I will post this event, and do my best to get the information sent 'round on our enews list.
Also, please let me know of any garden suppliers who raise plants organically. I'm working on a list.
Those of you keeping closest tabs on the neonic issue will be aware that a new meta-analysis of 800 peer-reviewed studies was released yesterday (June 24/14) by the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides - a group of global, independent scientists - and confirms neonicotinoids are a key factor in bee declines and are harming beneficial organisms essential to functional ecosystems and food production, including soil microbes, butterflies, earthworms, reptiles, and birds. The Task Force called for immediate regulatory action to restrict neonicotinoids.
Such reinforcement between reports is important, and hurts the heart all at the same time.
Kindest regards, and sincerely,
Why's Woman
Gardeners Beware 2014 report: http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2014-06-new-tests-find-bee-killing-pesticides-in-51-percent-of-bee-friendly-plants
Friends of the Earth Canada: http://foecanada.org/en/
and the report on its site: http://foecanada.org/en/2014/06/gardeners-beware-2014/
Friends of the Earth Canada Bee Cause site: http://foecanada.org/en/environmental-justice/the-bee-cause/
Friends of the Earth Canada petition to stop neonic plant sales: http://foecanada.org/en/takeaction/home-garden-petition/
Friends of the Earth U.S. http://www.foe.org/beeaction
Pesticide Research Institute: https://www.pesticideresearch.com/site/
Task Force on Systemic Pesticides and the report: http://www.tfsp.info/
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