The modern civilization is: “Exploit nature and materially be opulent.”
(Srila Prabhupada, Morning Walk, January 9, 1976, Madras)
Greenpeace:
The solutions
A crucial first step toward saving the bees and agriculture is banning the use of bee-killing chemical pesticides. Greenpeace identified several bee-killers that need to be banned as a priority: This list includes imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, fipronil, chlorpyriphos, cypermethrin and deltamethrin.
In April 2013, a majority of EU countries supported the European Commission proposal to temporarily restrict the use of three pesticides that are scientifically shown to be harmful to bees produced by chemical companies Bayer and Syngenta. Partial bans of neonicotinoids were already in place in Italy, France, Germany and Slovenia, with no significant negative impacts on agricultural production, but some positive effects on the health of the bees.
But this is not enough. Taking measures to promote biodiversity on farmland and protect the ecosystems that are still intact is needed to give bees the environment they need to live. Building hedgerows and creating wildflower areas, along with networked habitats, help the bees too – but banning bee-killer pesticides is a crucial first step to save the bees and agriculture in Europe.
Luckily, ecological farming (farming without chemical pesticides and instead with high biodiversity) is increasingly in demand by consumers and is becoming widespread in many countries, including most of Europe. Chemical pest control is repleaced with other practices, such as beneficial insects or the planting of pest-repelling plants in the fields and in pest-attractive areas surrounding them. Large-scale monocultures are converted into mixed farming systems with high biodiversity and high resilience against pest pressure. Crop rotation is another tool for bee-friendly farming. Nature parks and gardens with native plants can also benefit the bees.
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