Imagine ordering deadly chemicals on the internet and getting them shipped to your door within hours, no questions asked.
In the majority of U.S. states, you can. The chemicals in question: neonicotinoids.
Neonicotinoid pesticides, often called neonics, are the most commonly used class of pesticides in America — they’re also lethal to bees.
Wild bees are in trouble
Bees play a critical role in our ecosystem — we shouldn’t have to consider a world without them.
Our wild bees are in trouble — the American bumblebee’s population fell by 90% in the past two decades and the rusty patched bumblebee has been added to the endangered species list.
One of the primary factors behind these staggering statistics is the increased use of neonics.
How do neonics harm bees?
Neonics are relative newcomers in the world of pesticides. They first burst onto the scene in the 1990s — and their use has skyrocketed ever since.
Since their introduction, neonics have made America’s farmland 48 times more toxic to bees than it was just 25 years ago.
Bees are severely affected by neonics. These chemicals attack the nervous system of exposed insects, causing uncontrolled shaking, paralysis and death. Even slight exposure has been revealed to negatively impact bee health for generations.
And with a click of the mouse, these devastating chemicals can be en-route to your door thanks to Amazon. Amazon should not carry chemicals that have the potential to devastate bee health for generations.
What Amazon can do to help save the bees
Our national network is already making progress to save the bees — we’ve won policies restricting some of the worst uses of bee-killing pesticides in 10 states. We also convinced home improvement retailer Lowe’s to commit to phasing out the sale of neonics for consumer use. By calling on major companies to act, we can do even more for bees across the country.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, with millions and millions of Amazon Prime members in the U.S. alone. It can single-handedly make a big difference for the bees.
Amazon can and should do its part to help save the bees — after all, it can sell a lot of things, but it can’t same-day ship a new species.
But to convince Amazon to stop selling neonics, we need to make sure the company hears from as many concerned Americans as possible.
Add your name to our call on Amazon to stop selling bee-killing pesticides.
