“Bee” Engaged
By: Cyndi Wilkins
(4 min. read)
Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, resulting in abortion rights being heavily restricted or downright outlawed in several states, along with the upending of Affirmative Action Laws, it appears the Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, has added yet another big-ticket item to their hit list.
The Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, a legal precedent set in 1984, gives executive power to the regulatory agencies that ensure consumer safety for things such as food, water, drugs, health care, the automobile industry, access to government benefits programs, and protecting the environment, just to name a few.
Overturning such a precedent would put the decision-making process solely in the hands of the judges of the court, none of whom are experts in any of these matters. Unfortunately, businesses, in general, remain resistant to regulation, and many conservatives have come to believe that all these regulatory agencies are controlled by liberals and have demonstrated hostility to the idea of their “expertise.”
What concerns me most is the loosening of regulations that could have a detrimental impact on an already deteriorating environment. Without a healthy environment to live in, nothing else matters.
We now know that the world’s population of honeybees is declining at a rapid rate due to the use of bee-killing pesticides called neonicotinoids, and they are still being used in several farming states across the country. The fact of the matter is these pesticides are more toxic than DDT and are leaching into groundwater and the soil of crops and wildflowers where the bees pollinate. They can be wiped out by the contaminated airborne dust alone with a simple “fly-by.”
Bees and other pollinators are fundamental to the healthy balance of the Earth’s ecosystem, and they contribute directly to the nation’s food security, as a third of the world’s food production depends on them.
There are at least ten states that have acted to restrict the use of these pesticides; however, with the possibility of looser regulations on agriculture (and other consumer protection agencies, for that matter), the survival of one of our most beneficial natural resources is even more at risk.
When we consider how vital the honeybee is to our ecosystem, there is great cause for concern. Without these crucial little pollinators, many food crops and medicinal plants will die along with them.
This would not cause the mass extinction of humans by any means, but it would certainly cause additional economic strife as the price of food and drugs would skyrocket while alternative methods of cultivation would need to be developed.
It is not just the toxic chemicals being used in farming that threaten the bees. Changing weather patterns also play a critical role, and the breeding programs that transport the little pollinators from one place to another also pose a risk to the wild bees and other pollinators native to these areas such as hummingbirds, bats, and butterflies, all of which are increasingly under the threat of extinction due to human activity.
As far as climate change goes, I know there are many folks on the fence about this one. Whether you believe in climate change or not (and I am not judging anyone’s opinion) the frequency and intensity of weather events in the last decade are difficult to ignore and have wiped out many natural habitats.
Although we may not be able to turn back the hands of time, there is a lot we can do by taking steps to clean up our act and reduce our own carbon footprint by not polluting the air we breathe and the water we drink. Both of which are crucial to the survival of all life here on Earth.
We all need to become stewards of the planet by urging our global leaders to protect our natural resources from the greedy developers who are destroying the forests and wetlands gifted to us by nature. That said, many businesses choose to support our planet, and in turn, they need our support as well.
Burt’s Bees is a perfect example of a company that strives for sustainability. How appropriate for me to mention it here!
Paula Alexander (Senior director of sustainability at BB) states, “The challenges of the pandemic have only heightened the importance of protecting nature as a resource for the health of people and all life on Earth.”
I could not have said it any better myself. Staying connected and supporting each other and nature enables a more stable relationship between humans and their environment. It is up to us as concerned citizens to continue to encourage our governments, environmental protection agencies, and civil society to work together to protect our natural world and continue to raise awareness among our children and adolescents, as they are the next generation of global ambassadors for this beautiful planet.
Let’s all take one small step today toward a better tomorrow. “Bee Engaged!”
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-bees-are-essential-people-and-planet#
Cyndi Wilkins
All Things Wellness, LLC
cyndiwilkins12@gmail.com
The information provided is the opinion of the author. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. diagnosis, or treatment. The author and the business, All Things Wellness, LLC, and its owner Peggy Willms, are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this article or on this website. We assume no responsibility for tangible and intangible damages such as physical harm caused by using a product, loss of profits or loss of data, and defamatory comments. This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
