Did you know that the Government has recently lifted the ban on a bee-killing neonicotinoid?
In 2018, the UK government banned neonicotinoid pesticides due to the harmful impact they were having on bees and other pollinators. Recently this ban was reversed and positioned as an emergency measure to stop virus-spreading aphids. It contradicts guidance of Government expert advisors who say it poses unacceptable risks to bees and other pollinators, damages rivers and contaminates the environment.
We are one of over 50 businesses and organisations including Neal's Yard, The Body Shop, Yeo Valley, The British Beauty Council and Greenpeace who have come together to delivery an open letter to Downing Street calling on the Government to ban ALL future use of neonicotinoids in the UK and use NON-TOXIC alternatives.
Anabel Kindersley, Co-Owner of Neal’s Yard Remedies delivering the letter to No 10 Downing Street. You can read the full letter here.
Why Bee and Pollinator Conservation is so important
Many of the plants we need for food rely on pollination, and mostly by bees! And ..
- Just one teaspoon of the pesticide is enough to kill 1.25 billion honeybees
- One single exposure to neonicotinoids can damage the ability of bees to forage and reproduce
- In the last ten years, the UK bee population is thought to have reduced by a third!
How you can help ...
#StandByBees is a campaign to cut the use of hazardous pesticides and promote nature-friendly farming in the UK, to protect our pollinators and the British countryside.
Stand by Bees is calling on the Government to set clear reduction targets for the amount and toxicity of pesticides. This needs to be accompanied by support for British farmers to adopt proven nature-friendly and regenerative methods such as integrated pest management, to protect agricultural production, food security, and soil health.
Help us get to 100,000 signatories on this petition - so we can bring it for debate in parliament and push for real change. Together, we can make a difference. Sign the Petition here
Other ways to take action and get involved
🐝 Sign the Greenpeace petition to press the Government to enforce a total ban on bee-killing pesticides
🐝 Sign the Friends of the Earth ‘Shape the future of our countryside’ petition, pushing the Environment Secretary for a clear plan to reduce the use of pesticides and make the countryside a safer place for wildlife
🐝 Head over to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website to learn more, including all the ways you can make your local area more bee-friendly