Shrewsbury Opinion: How to BEE an Ecosystem Supporter

The following was submitted to Shrewsbury Patch as a letter to the editor from Sophia Bloom. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, email samantha.mercado@patch.com

How to BEE an Ecosystem Supporter

When I was little, I was terrified of bugs, especially bees. I did not yet know that all that bees provide for our shared ecosystems and how important they are to the continuation of plantlife.
Bees are currently facing a crisis: their populations are rapidly depleting. A major reason for this is the use of a class of pesticides called neonics, which attack the central nervous system of bees and other invertebrates. Currently, there is no commercial regulation of neonics among everyday consumers. That means whoever wants to use these toxic chemicals can purchase them freely. No training is necessary to purchase them and it is often used in harmful ways. This is especially problematic because neonics get incorporated into the plant, rather than just coating its leaves. When the plants reproduce, the neonics get passed on to the next generation, initiating a bee-killing chain.

There is a bill called H. 763 that will help regulate the use of these pesticides, so that only trained professionals will be able to apply neonics. If you support bee life, which in turn supports all wildlife, please call your state and local legislators to tell them that you support H.763.

Sophia Bloom, Shrewsbury