Living Sustainably
Why should you care about a sustainable food system? Why does it matter how the US produces food products? Consider the humble and seriously endangered honey bee.
A Wikileaks document indicates that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) knew that a particular pesticide increased hive collapse … and yet, in 2003 the EPA approved it anyway. The short-term gain in immediate profits was deemed more important than the health of this insect species responsible for pollinating one-third of US agriculture. So, in order to produce even more corn for an already over-supplied market, we might end up destroying the honeybee population completely. What a trade off. Tom Theobold, the scientist who leaked the documents expresses real concerns that our bee population might not even make it through the winter.
Think about that. What if we only had just a few years left to taste a real strawberry? Would that motivate us to make some changes?
If commercial patterns don’t change—in this case, if the sale and use of clothianidin continues—we will witness the very serious repercussions of this profoundly unsustainable decision. The health of so many species (including ours) relies upon making decisions based on long-term planetary and human health and not simply this year’s balance sheet.
Make realistic steps toward living sustainability. Start with committing to purchase just a few organic items: organic milk, organic apples, and local eggs. Start reading up about composting. Think about what kinds of greens mix you might grow in a patch of soil near your kitchen. It doesn’t matter how fast you move toward living and eating more sustainably: just do what you can but do something.
Tell the EPA: Ban the pesticide that’s killing bees
Call or write your Congressional representatives and make your voice heard.
