Neonicotinoids, or “neonics” for
short, are a group of synthetic neurotoxin pesticides. Since the introduction
of neonics as chemical pesticides, bee populations have plummeted. In spite of the myriad scientific studies tying
neonics to bee decline, they are still present in the majority of plants sold
in the United States, as well as many seeds and planting soils.
And this catastrophic loss of bees has severe implications not only in terms of
biodiversity, but also for us. Neonicotinoids have been tied to birth defects
and neurological disorders, as well as water pollution and loss of food
security. Bees pollinate over $20 billion of U.S. crops every year (which means
that you can thank a bee for every third bite of food that you take). If we keep
losing bees, both human and animal food supply is at serious risk. No bees, no
food.
Bees are like the storied canary in
the coal mine; their death tells us that our shared environment has become
toxic. But unlike the miners who fled the mine when their canaries died, we
cannot flee, for we—like the bees—live in this mine: it is our global
environment.
The Solution: Bee Safe Boulder
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Bee Safe Boulder is committed to enacting change in Boulder County and beyond through community, education, and collaboration.
Here are just a few of the projects that we are currently working on:
- Organizing community outreach events around Boulder County to train and mobilize volunteers to make their own neighborhoods bee-safe.
- Partnering with local environmental organizations and student clubs to organize solution-oriented, hands-on youth events and train the next generation of environmental activists.
- Reaching out to local schools and school districts, Boulder Housing Partners, retirement communities, and homeowners associations to organize a major academic conference looking at issues revolving around pesticide-use to take place at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the fall.
- Creating outreach tools and resources that can be used by community organizers to create bee safe chapters all over the nation.
We want to have the biggest impact possible in protecting bees and getting people to say "no" to neonics. Our methods have been proven effective over the past year, and we are excited to continue building our organization! Read more about our methods below:
Community
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BSB Co-Founders David Wheeler and Molly Greacen standing with Greacen's beehive in Boulder's first bee safe neighborhood
One of BSB's main focuses is on
creating "Bee Safe Neighborhoods." Based on the protocol created by
the Living Systems Institute (Golden, CO) a Bee Safe Neighborhood is a
neighborhood where at least 75 contiguous households pledge not to use
neonicotinoids. This elegant simplicity can have far-reaching effects,
city-wide, state-wide, and even nation-wide.
We founded BSB in the spring of 2014,
inspired by the "buzz" surrounding the news of our neighborhood
becoming the first ever Bee Safe Neighborhood, canvassing to get around 200
households to pledge to not use neonicotinoid pesticides, or plants which have
been pre-treated with them, on their lawns and gardens. Over 80% of our
neighbors further pledged not to use ANY synthetic pesticides outside and to
plant bee friendly plants.
In this process, we discovered that celebrating the strength of community is a
powerful means to bring about change. We learned that neighbors talking to
neighbors leads to the kind of communication and education that can bring about
real change.
Education
Art students at Shining Mountain Waldorf School creating a bee mural for earth day
Working with School Groups:
The youth are our future, and it is of the utmost importance that they realize their vital place in the mission to save the bees. Recently we've done work with several student groups including the Fairview High School Net
Zero Environmental Group in Boulder. These amazing students have spoken at Boulder City Council
and other city-wide events with Bee Safe Boulder, and are remarkable activists for the environment and bees. On Earth Day, we also had the opportunity to send volunteers and
bee-safe materials to elementary schools around Boulder County. We're excited
to expand our educational mission and get more youth involved!
Outreach:
There are now eight official Bee Safe Neighborhoods and
smaller Bee Safe Communities. Around 50 neighborhoods are in process in Boulder
County and other parts of the United States. One of the most impressive things-
all of this was completed in the past year.
Collaboration
Bee Safe Boulder works with businesses, schools, and other government and
private organizations.
Retailers & Businesses:
Bee Safe Boulder has secured pledges from local
retailers, landscapers, and lawn care and tree companies to not sell
contaminated plants, bulbs, trees, turf, and topical garden products that
contain neonics, or, if they must sell these products, to label anything that
does contain them.
We have also contacted nurseries and other growers up the wholesale supply line
to secure neonic-free plants for our pledged companies. 33 companies so far
have pledged and are making this transition! Local Colorado growers have jumped
on the bandwagon in response to consumer demand; we are changing how businesses
think about the environment, and about their ability and responsibility to make
important change.
We are empowering citizens to change
their neighborhoods and their cities too! Here is a sticker from a local
business:
After BSB informed them of the dangers of neonics, McGuckin Hardware put these labels on all plants containing neonicotinoids.
City Government:
We asked our local Boulder City Council to pass a
Resolution banning the use of neonics on city property: to become a "Bee
Safe City." They enthusiastically took up the challenge, and on May 5,
2015, coinciding with the launch of this campaign, Resolution #1159,
"A Resolution Concerning the Use of Neonicontinoid Pesticides in the City
of Boulder," was passed by a unanimous vote city council.
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BSB Co-Founder Molly Greacen speaking at City County as Resolution #1159 is passed
Volunteers:
We have over 100 volunteers in Boulder County who are
working restlessly to create Bee Safe neighborhoods, reach out to garden supply
retailers, and otherwise keep this organization successful and buzzing.
Advisory Board:
Bee Safe Boulder collaborated with an advisory
board made up of a variety of educated and productive members. We are working
diligently to be inclusive, organized, energetic, and intelligent about how to
tackle the various obstacles that we meet on our journey to a bee-safe city.
Partners:
BSB also partners with a variety of both local and
national organizations, including Boulder Rights of Nature, Beyond Pesticides,
the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, Beyond Toxics, the Xerces Society, and
both the Boulder County and Colorado Beekeepers Associations, to work toward
elimination in of neonics and other pesticide use.
What We Need:
Bee Safe Boulder needs to raise
$25,000, one dollar for each species of bee, in order to hire a part-time
community and volunteer organizer, who can help us continue our critical work
with local businesses in Boulder County, continue our outreach efforts, and
fund special projects, such as those mentioned below. With your help, we will
make not only Boulder, but the whole nation bee safe.
Closing:
Bee Safe Boulder has created a
national conversation about changing pesticide use on lawns and gardens in this
country. We have established a new path to a bright future, but we cannot
do it alone anymore.
Donate today to make the movement
move and #beethechange.
Other Ways You Can Help:
If you can't contribute financially
here are some other ways you can help:
- Tell your friends about this
campaign--click the share links to share on social media!
- Share the video and spread
the word about #BeeSafeBoulder
-
Pledge to be bee-safe
-
Volunteer with Bee Safe
Boulder
-
Start your own Bee Safe
Neighborhood
Visit www.beesafeboulder.com to learn more.
**Notice: If you donate with a credit or debit card, the charge on your statement will be from the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, the group under which we have our non-profit status.**