pesticides

The Plight Of Monarch Butterflies | Earth Wise

April 20, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The monarch butterfly is one of the world’s best-known butterflies and has become the symbol for a whole class of imperiled pollinators. Populations of the iconic orange-and-black insects have declined dramatically in recent decades.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the eastern monarch population has dropped 88% between 1996 and 2020. Habitat loss, pesticide use, and global climate change are some of the factors driving monarch butterfly population declines.

According to a new study led by scientists at Emory University, monarch butterflies are also increasingly plagued by a debilitating parasite. The study, which was recently published in The Journal of Animal Ecology, reviewed 50 years of data on the infection rate of wild monarch butterflies by the protozoan Ophryocystis elektrosirrha (or O.E.). The research team found that the O.E. infection rate had increased from less than 1% of the eastern monarch population in 1968 to as much as 10% today.

The O.E. parasite invades the gut of monarch caterpillars. If the adult butterfly leaves the pupal stage with a severe parasitic infection, it begins oozing fluids from its body and dies. If the infection is lighter and the butterfly survives, it will not fly as well or live as long as uninfected butterflies.

The study found that one of the contributors to the rise in parasitism is the increased density of monarchs in places where they lay their eggs. The increased density may be due to several factors, including the loss of habitat, the widespread planting of non-native milkweed, and by people raising large numbers of monarchs in confined spaces.

If the infection rate continues to increase, monarch butterfly populations will likely continue to plummet.

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Monarch butterflies increasingly plagued by parasites

Plight of the Monarch

Saving The Monarch Butterfly

Photo, posted September 18, 2008, courtesy of Roy Niswanger via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

The Great Christmas Tree Debate | Earth Wise

December 15, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Along with cookies and carols, the Christmas tree is a quintessential part of the holiday season for many people. According to the American Christmas Tree Association, approximately 75% of Christmas trees in American homes this year will be artificial. But are artificial trees really the better option for the planet?

The short answer is no. But it’s more complicated than that. Ultimately, the answer depends on a variety of factors.

If you decide to go with an artificial tree, you need to use it for a very long time. Studies suggest artificial trees would need to be reused anywhere from 8 to 20 years in order to be considered the more environmentally-friendly option. You should seek out trees manufactured from polyethylene plastic as it’s not as toxic as polyvinyl chloride plastic. And since the majority of artificial trees are imported from China, look for a “Made in USA” label to reduce the carbon footprint.

If you decide to go for a live tree, shop local. This keeps the carbon footprint low and helps support the local economy in the process. While some tree farms do spray, researchers say the use of pesticides in tree production is relatively low. Live trees can also be composted or recycled afterwards.

It’s important to note that live Christmas trees can also be purchased with roots and planted after the holidays. Some companies even allow you to rent live trees. Each rented tree can be re-rented for up to seven years, after which it’ll be too large for in-home use and gets planted in its forever home.

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Photo, posted December 17, 2017, courtesy of Alan Sandercock via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Harnessing The Smell Of Fear | Earth Wise

September 28, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Plant-eating insects present a major problem for farmers and home gardeners. Aphids, for example, are a highly destructive pest to many crops. Their large numbers and ability to transmit plant pathogens make them a persistent problem for growers.

Pesticides are chemical substances that are commonly used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate pests. They include insecticides for insects, rodenticides for rodents, herbicides for weeds, and fungicides for microorganisms. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately one billion pounds of these chemicals are used in the United States every year.

But pesticides can also contaminate soil, water, and other vegetation, as well as kill many non-target species. Exposure to these chemicals is dangerous for human health.

According to a new study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University have developed a way to bottle the “smell of fear” produced by predators in order to repel and disrupt pests naturally without the need for these harsh substances. The researchers recently presented their findings at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Aphids happen to be a favorite food of ladybugs. Aphids and other herbivorous insects will steer clear of fields and gardens if they smell predators nearby. The researchers identified and extracted the volatile odor profile from ladybugs. The researchers used the compounds to create a special odor blend that can be used in an essential oil diffuser to spread the scent across a garden or field.

The research team plans to conduct field tests to see if the effects outside are similar to what was observed in the lab. A natural and effective pest repellent would be a big win for people and the planet.

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Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’

Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’ (YouTube)

Photo, posted May 10, 2011, courtesy of DM via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Promoting Biodiversity In Agriculture | Earth Wise

September 13, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The organic foods industry is one of the fastest growing agricultural segments in the United States. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. organic sales reached $61.9 billion in 2020, a jump of more than 12% over the previous year.

Organic food has many benefits. Organic food is free of antibiotics, growth hormones, and GMOs, and is grown using fewer pesticides. Organic farming tends to be better for the environment by reducing pollution, conserving water, reducing soil erosion, increasing soil fertility, and using less energy. And it’s also better for the health of nearby wildlife as well as the people who live close to farms.

But when it comes to promoting biodiversity in agriculture, is organic farming the only alternative to conventional agriculture? It turns out it’s not – at least according to a new study recently published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

According to an international research team led by the University of Göttingen in Germany, a landscape mosaic of natural habitats and small-scale and diverse cultivated areas is the key to promoting biodiversity on a large scale in both conventional and organic agriculture.

According to the research team, areas cultivated to organic standards have one third more species, but don’t reach the yield level of conventional farming. This means that more land would need to be cultivated organically in order to produce the same amount of food. But as larger areas are cultivated, the advantages for biodiversity would disappear.

Landscapes with small fields, long edges, high crop diversity, and at least 20% near-natural habitats can promote biodiversity significantly more than just organic certification.

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U.S. Organic Industry Survey 2021

Promoting biodiversity-friendly landscapes – beyond organic farming

Photo, posted August 29, 2019, courtesy of Lance Cheung/USDA via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Protecting Bees From Pesticides | Earth Wise

July 15, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Studies have shown that the wax and pollen in 98% of beehives in the U.S. are contaminated with an average of six pesticides. These substances lower bees’ immunity to devastating varroa mites and other pathogens. By some estimates, pesticides cause beekeepers to lose about a third of their hives every year on average.

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a new technology that effectively protects bees from insecticides. The insecticide antidote delivery method is now the basis of a new company called Beemunity.

The Cornell researchers developed a uniform pollen-sized microparticle filled with enzymes that detoxify organophosphate insecticides before they are absorbed and can harm bees. Organophosphate insecticides account for about a third of the insecticides on the market. The microparticles have a protective casing that allows the enzymes to move past the bees’ crop (basically the stomach), which is acidic and would otherwise break them down. The safeguarded enzymes then enter the midgut, where digestion occurs and where toxins and nutrients are absorbed. There the enzymes act to break down and detoxify the organophosphate insecticides.

In experimental tests, bees that were fed the enzyme-filled microparticles had a 100% survival rate after exposure to the insecticide malathion. Unprotected control bees died within days.

The Cornell work appears to represent a low-cost, scalable solution to the insecticide toxicity issue and may help to protect essential pollinators.

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Pollen-sized technology protects bees from deadly insecticides

Photo, posted January 30, 2020, courtesy of George Tan via Flick.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Residential Gardens And Pollinators | Earth Wise

April 2, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A new study led by the University of Bristol in the UK measured for the first time how much nectar is produced in urban areas to gauge the role of residential gardens in providing nutrients for pollinators. They discovered that home gardens accounted for the vast majority of the crucial nutrients for pollinators; in fact, some 85% on average.

The study found that gardens generated a daily average of about a teaspoon of the unique sugar-rich liquid found in flowers which pollinators drink for energy. A teaspoon sounds like very little, but it is enough to feed thousands of bees.

The research examined nectar production in four major UK towns and cities and measured nectar production in nearly 200 species of plants. The results were that the nectar supply in urban landscapes is more diverse than in farmland and nature reserves. In addition, gardens are critical because they produce the most nectar per unit area of land and actually cover the largest area of land in the cities studied. In those cities, nearly a third of the land comprised domestic gardens, which is six times the area of parks and 40 times the area of small green allotments.

The upshot of the research is that home gardeners have a huge role to play in pollinator conservation. Without domestic gardens, there would be far less food for pollinators that include bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, and beetles. Thus, it is important for home gardeners to keep planting nectar-rich flowers, mow lawns less often to let dandelions, clovers, and daisies flourish, avoid harmful pesticides, and avoid covering gardens in paving, decking, or artificial turf.

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Pioneering research reveals gardens are secret powerhouse for pollinators

Photo, posted June 23, 2018, courtesy of Wolfferl via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Europe’s Green Deal: Bad For The Planet? | Earth Wise

December 28, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

In 2019, the European Union announced the “Green Deal,” a comprehensive program aimed at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent, implementing environmentally friendly transport, increasing recycling, and expanding renewable energy.

The Green Deal involves significant changes to European agriculture. Over the next ten years, under the ambitious environmental program, at least a quarter of all agricultural areas will be farmed organically, the use of fertilizers and pesticides greatly reduced, 3 billion trees planted, 15,000 miles of rivers restored, and the population declines of pollinators reversed.

However, in a recent article published in Nature, scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology show that this Green Deal might actually be a bad deal for the planet.

The problem is that the EU is likely to basically be outsourcing environmental damage by its high imports of agricultural products.

According to the Karlsruhe study, the EU annually imports millions of tons of agricultural products, as much as 20% of its produce and much of its meat and dairy products. Quite often, these imports come from countries whose environmental laws are far less stringent than those in Europe.

The EU cannot impose environmental standards on other countries, but it can demand that goods entering the European market meet EU requirements. The study points out that Europe’s carbon footprint has to be evaluated on a global basis. If the EU is truly to become a climate-neutral continent, it must include foreign trade goals and requirements in its environmental programs. Otherwise, Europe will simply be outsourcing its environmental problems and will continue to cause damage to the planet.

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Green Deal: Good for a Climate-neutral Europe – Bad for the Planet

Photo, posted July 17, 2009, courtesy of Edmund Garman via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Essential Oils And Organic Crops | Earth Wise

November 6, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Essential oils are concentrated liquids extracted from plants. They are called “essential” in the sense that they contain the essence of the fragrance that is characteristic of the plant. Essential does not mean indispensable or usable by the human body. But despite that fact, essential oils have been used in folk medicine throughout history.

In recent times, essential oils have frequently been used in aromatherapy. Generally speaking, medicinal uses of essential oils are controversial, and, in some cases, they have even been demonstrated to be dangerous.

Research has shown that essential oils have potential as natural pesticides. Recently, the USDA has funded research into the use of essential oils to battle pests and diseases of organic crops.

U.S. organic food sales topped $50 billion in 2018 and fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops combined make up more than a third of organic sales. In order to meet consumer demand, farmers need ways to battle pests and diseases that often accompany organic crop growth.

A four-year project at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is entitled “Plant Safety, Horticultural Benefits, and Disease Efficacy of Essential Oils for Use in Organically Grown Fruit Crops: From the Farm to the Consumer.” The researchers will work with certified organic producers in Hawaii, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and California to evaluate the effectiveness of plant essential oils on major fruit pathogens such as avocado scab, anthracnose fungal disease, and powdery mildew on targeted tropical and temperate fruit crops such as avocado, mango, blueberry, and peach.

The goal is increase orchard productivity of the expanding organic fruit industry.

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Essential oils could keep pests, disease from organic crops

Photo, posted January 6, 2015, courtesy of Abi Porter via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Bees Threatening Bees | Earth Wise

October 16, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Domesticated honeybees are an essential part of our agricultural system, being responsible for one in every three bites of food Americans consume and contributing $15 billion a year to the value of the nation’s crop production. Millions of bee colonies are trucked across the country every year to pollinate cranberries, melons, broccoli, blueberries, and cherries, and also to produce honey.

After the growing seasons, honeybees are trucked to various locations to rest and rebuild their population and to replenish bees lost to disease and pesticides. Some of these locations are in national forests. Thousands of hives belonging to 112 apiaries are currently permitted in national forests by the Department of Agriculture. This presents a problem because these hives are being permitted on public lands with virtually no environmental review and with little consideration of the impact these colonies can have on local wild bee populations.

The 4,000 wild bee species in the U.S. consume up to 95% of local available pollen. Nearly 40 federally listed threatened or endangered species of bees, butterflies, and flower flies depend on national forest land for their survival. And now the pollinators in these places, which were once refuges for these species and others, increasingly face competition from millions of domesticated honeybees.

Honeybees are super-foraging machines and are literally taking the pollen out of the mouths of other bees and pollinators. Honeybees themselves have been facing numerous problems from habitat loss, pesticides, and other stress factors. So, what is happening is essentially a pollinator habitat crunch that carries long-term implications for the U.S. food supply. We need to find some answers and the sooner the better.

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Will Putting Honey Bees on Public Lands Threaten Native Bees?

Photo, posted August 9, 2015, courtesy of Tak H. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Native Bees In A Honeybee World | Earth Wise

September 21, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

There is a great deal of attention on the plight of bees and other pollinators. Much of that focuses on the problems plaguing the large, domesticated honeybee colonies that are trucked from region to region to pollinate everything from almonds to fruit trees. Managed bee colonies have recently been losing more than 40% of their population over the course of a year. But overall, honeybees are still relatively safe. They are a globally distributed, domesticated species and are not remotely threatened with extinction.

But another group of bees – native bees – faces a different range of threats, most linked to habitat loss. Worldwide, roughly 20,000 native bee species have evolved over millions of years to thrive in countless habitats, where they have specialized in pollinating specific flowers and plants – in some cases just a single plant.

Scientists have estimated that, globally, 1 in 6 bee species is regionally extinct. In the United States there are about 4,000 native bee species, most of which are solitary bees that nest in the ground or cavities, with many that require just one or a few plant species for sustenance. At least 23 percent of U.S. native bees have declined, with bees in areas with heavy commodity-crop production particularly hard hit due to habitat loss and pesticide use. Other threats to native bees include climate-driven sea-level rise and increased temperatures, loss of host plants, and competition and disease from non-native honeybees. 50% of Midwestern native bee species disappeared from their historic ranges in the last 100 years. Four of our bumblebee species declined 96% in the last 20 years, and three species are believed to already be extinct.

Native bees are in big trouble.

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Backyard Battle: Helping Native Bees Thrive in a Honeybee World

Photo, posted December 2, 2017, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

More Trouble For Monarchs | Earth Wise

April 14, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Monarch butterflies have been in trouble for quite a while and now it seems like their prospects are worse than ever. Multiple surveys of butterfly populations are reporting plummeting numbers.

Western monarch butterflies spend their winters on the central California coast. Months later, they breed in California’s Central Valley and as far north and east as Idaho. But in recent years, it has become harder and harder to find them in their breeding sites.

The Western monarch population was in the millions in the 1980s. In 2017, an annual survey found 200,000 butterflies. In 2018 and 2019, only about 30,000 butterflies were tallied. The loss of Western butterflies in general has come about from a variety of factors, including development, climate change, farming practices and the widespread use of pesticides by farmers and on home and business lawns.

Scientists use the area of land that migrating Monarchs occupy in Mexico to gauge populations. This year, they covered about 7 acres, down from 15 acres in 2019.

Meanwhile, there are also far fewer Eastern monarch butterflies on the opposite side of the country. According to a new population survey, the Eastern monarch has passed the extinction threshold. Its population in 2020 dropped 53% from its already low 2019 numbers. Scientists were expecting lower numbers this year, but they were staggered by their findings.

Butterfly populations are quite variable, so it is possible that the drastic declines this year are not necessarily irreversible, but the news is not good. Researchers and environmental advocates continue to point out that mitigating the climate crisis, reducing pesticide use and planting pollinator gardens could help the butterflies to recover.

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Monarch Butterfly Populations Are Plummeting

Photo, posted September 7, 2017, courtesy of C. Watts via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Tough Times For Fireflies | Earth Wise

March 11, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Fireflies or lightning bugs are soft-bellied beetles known widely for their use of bioluminescence – the biochemical emission of light – to communicate and to attract mates. There are more than 2,000 species of these beetles globally. They can be found in temperate and tropical climates, like marshes or wet, wooded areas, all throughout the world.

But if you are seeing fewer fireflies each summer, you’re not alone. Like many insects, firefly populations are under duress from threats like pesticides, pollution, and habitat loss. But fireflies are also facing another threat unique to luminous bugs: light pollution. Light pollution is making it harder for fireflies to reproduce because the artificial light is outshining their mating signals.

Male fireflies light up to signal availability and female fireflies respond with patterned flashes to indicate they’re interested. But artificial bright light from things like billboards, streetlights, buildings, and homes, is interfering with the fireflies reproduction communications.

The study, by researchers at Tufts University and the IUCN, warned that these threats facing fireflies could lead them globally to extinction.

The researchers also point to habitat loss as another major threat to fireflies. Firefly populations are especially vulnerable because they need special conditions to complete their life cycle. Mangrove forests and marshes around the world are being removed in favor of cash crops like palm oil.

Insects like fireflies are crucial components of many ecosystems where they perform important functions, like aerating soil, pollinating plants, and controlling pests. Firefly larvae feed on snails, slugs and mites, and many fireflies are effective pollinators.

We can’t afford for fireflies to go dark.

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A Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats

Fireflies Have a Mating Problem: The Lights Are Always On

Photo, posted June 5, 2010, courtesy of Matt MacGillivray via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Pesticides In The Great Barrier Reef

November 7, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the greatest natural wonders in the world and it has been under siege by warming waters and ocean acidification. Widespread coral bleaching has damaged or destroyed large portions of the 1,400-mile long coral reef system. But the effects of climate change are not the only threat to the reef. Pesticides found in waterways that flow into the Great Barrier Reef are another serious problem.

According to a new study by the University of Queensland, the combined toxicity of 22 of the most common pesticides that flow into the Reef are not meeting pollution reduction targets.

Different pesticides affect different organisms. Herbicides affect organisms that photosynthesize such as seagrass, corals, mangroves, and algae. Insecticides affect insect larvae in freshwater, and crustaceans such as crabs, prawns, and lobsters. Previous assessments have only examined individual pesticides and only for limited times. The new study has utilized a methodology that estimates the combined toxicity of multiple pesticides found in the waterways that discharge into the Reef and does it for the entire wet season.

The research revealed that the pesticide reduction target set in the Australian Government’s Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan is not being met. Only one natural resource management region – the Cape York region – was found to be meeting its target.

By having estimates of the risk posed by pesticides in the various regions and individual waterways, governments, farmers, and conservationists can see which areas pose the greatest risk and where to maximize efforts. Stakeholders have to come together to reduce pesticide concentrations through better management practices and by using less toxic pesticides.

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High pesticide concentrations continue to enter Great Barrier Reef

Photo, posted July 29, 2010, courtesy of Kyle Taylor via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Birds Are Disappearing

October 16, 2019 By EarthWise 1 Comment

A new analysis, published in the journal Science, reports that the number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by 29% since 1970. There are 2.9 billion fewer birds in the two countries now than there were 50 years ago.

The analysis is the most comprehensive attempt to date to look at the status of avian populations. The results were a shock to researchers and conservation organizations.

It is well-known that some bird species have become vulnerable to extinction, but the new study, which surveyed more than 500 species, uncovered steep losses even among such traditionally abundant birds as robins and sparrows.

There appear to be multiple causes for the steep declines. The largest ones are likely habitat loss and the wider use of pesticides. Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring warned of the dangers of pesticides and took its title from a world that has lost its birds.

The survey includes 76% of all bird species in the US and Canada, but actually represents almost the entire population of birds. Grassland species have suffered the biggest declines by far, as a result of modern agriculture and development. Pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, make it harder for birds to put on weight needed for migration, delaying their travel.

There are a few bright spots: bald eagles are thriving, and falcon and waterfowl populations are on the upswing. These are species that have been the subject of conservation measures in recent decades.

Stopping the bird decline will require a great deal of effort to defend habitats, restrict chemicals, and redesign buildings. Without that effort, birds will continue to disappear.

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Birds Are Vanishing From North America

Photo, posted April 1, 2012, courtesy of Barry Skeates via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Falling Bee Populations

September 9, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

For many years, scientists have been sounding the alarm on the global struggle of pollinators. A reported 40% of invertebrate pollinator species, including bees and butterflies, are facing extinction. And since as much as three-quarters of the world’s food crops depend on pollination, the decline of these pollinators poses a major threat to global food security.

Pollinators aid in the production of all sorts of crops, including coffee, cacao, cotton, apples, and almonds – to name a few. The global value of crops requiring pollination ranges from $235-$577 billion annually.

Honey bees are among the struggling pollinators. Over the past 15 years, bee colonies have been disappearing at an alarming rate in what is known as the “colony collapse disorder.” Some regions have seen losses of up to 90%.

In the United States, managed honey bee populations declined by nearly 40% over this past winter, the largest such winter decline since surveying began in 2006.

In recent months, mass honey bee declines have also been reported in Russia, according to the BBC. Russia, which produces a whopping 110,000 tons of honey annually, expects that figure to drop by as much as 20%. The widespread bee decline is likely to not only push up honey prices, but the prices of other popular foods as well. Many staple food crops in Russia, including sunflowers, buckwheat, and fruit trees, rely on bees for pollination.

Experts have blamed the bee decline crisis on a combination of factors, including pesticides (most notably neonicotinoids), varroa mites, and climate change.

Bees play a vital role in food production, and their continued decline will have devastating consequences.

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Russia alarmed by large fall in bee populations

Photo, posted July 28, 2019, courtesy of Ivan Radic via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Another Bad Year For Bees

August 6, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The latest annual nationwide survey of beekeepers in the US revealed that honeybees are still dying off at an alarming rate. According to the survey, beekeepers across the country lost 40.7% of their honey bee colonies from April 2018 to April 2019.

This annual loss represents a slight increase over the average annual loss of 38.7%. Of greater concern is that winter losses of 37.7% were the highest reported since these annual surveys began 13 years ago and are almost 9% higher than the survey average.

These results are very troubling considering that the elevated losses are continuing even after a decade of intense work trying to understand and reduce colony loss. Evidently, there has not been much progress.

The number one concern among beekeepers is varroa mites, which are lethal parasites that can readily spread from colony to colony. These mites have been decimating bee colonies for years. Products developed to remove mites seem to be getting less and less effective.

But mites are not the only problem for bees. Land use changes have resulted in reduced availability of pollen sources for bees. Add to that pesticide exposures, environmental factors, and even problems with beekeeping practices. In addition, extreme weather conditions such as wildfires and floods are only adding to the problems facing bees.

The tools that used to work for beekeepers seem to be failing and they are already stretched to their limits trying to keep their bees alive. Honey bees pollinate $15 billion worth of food crops in the United States each year. The problems facing bees are a problem for all of us.

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U.S. Beekeepers Suffered Higher than Average Colony Loss Last Year, with Winter Losses the Highest Recorded, According to UMD-Led Annual Survey

Photo, posted June 3, 2009, courtesy of Jennifer C via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Earth Day

April 22, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Today is Earth Day. On April 22, 1970, millions of Americas took to the streets in peaceful demonstrations in favor of environmental reform. Since that first time, Earth Day has now become a global event each year. Estimates are that as many as a billion people in 192 countries take part in Earth Day events.

This year, the theme for Earth Day is “Protect our Species.” The focus is on the fact that the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction since the demise of the dinosaurs more than 60 million years ago.

But unlike the extinctions from that time that were linked to so-called acts of god like asteroid collisions, the rapid extinction of species in our world today is mostly the result of human activity.

The global destruction and rapid reduction of plant and wildlife populations are directly linked to climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution, and pesticides.

In order to stem the tide of destruction, the Earth Day Network is asking people to help raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. We need to push for the creation of policies that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and their habitats. There needs to be a global movement that embraces nature and its values. And we need to eat less meat and curtail the use of pesticides and herbicides.

We share the planet with many species, and we need them to be here in order to sustain our own species. Something to remember on Earth Day 2019.

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Earth Day Network

Photo, posted January 24, 2012, courtesy of Jonas Bengtsson via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Bee Friendly Amsterdam

February 11, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Scientists around the world have been sounding the alarm for years about the decline of bees and other pollinators that are crucial to the growth of crops. One place where this trend has been bucked is in Amsterdam. The diversity of wild bee and honeybee species in the Dutch capital has actually increased by 45% since 2000.

The city attributes this success to creating bee-friendly environments including the installation of so-called insect hotels. There has also been a ban on the use of chemical pesticides on public land.

Four years ago, Amsterdam set a goal to convert half of all public green spaces to native plants including species that produce flowers and fruits that provide nourishment for bees. Developers in Amsterdam are encouraged to install green roofs on new buildings which reduce reliance on heating and cooling systems and also create habitat for wildlife.

Residents can request to have a 16-inch strip of pavement adjacent to their homes removed in order to plant shrubs, flowers or climbing vines. When a new highway was built in the area in 2015, local activists planted wildflowers along the sides of the road that otherwise would have been left with only gravel or grass. This practice has spread to other major routes and along dikes and railways and is referred to as the Honey Highway.

All of these efforts seem to be having a positive effect. An initial survey was conducted in 2000 to establish a baseline. A 2015 survey of pollinators found 21 bee species not previously documented in the city. The rest of the Netherlands has not done as well, and the Dutch government has recently introduced a pollinator strategy to revive bees, butterflies and other insects crucial to the country’s food crop.

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