Halloween campaign urges Lowe’s to take ‘bee-killing’ pesticides off shelves
October 29, 2014 | 01:27 PM
The consumer campaigns that have had substantial success in convincing food retailers and processors to change their purchasing habits are now urging Lowe’s and other retailers to stop selling certain pesticides that activists say kill bees.
Friends of the Earth said today that the environmental group and its allies have organized more than 30,000 people to “swarm” Lowe’s stores around the country to deliver 1 million petition signatures to ask the home improvement company to remove neonicotinoid pesticides and plants treated with them from its shelves.
Lowe’s should not be “a little shop of horrors” for bees and should “give bees treats, not tricks,” Friends of the Earth said in a news release today. The actions are planned at Lowe’s stores near Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, and Ashland, Ore., as well as in Windsor and Ottawa in Ontario, Canada.
The group cited its own study of the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators, and said gardeners “should beware” of the plants and pesticides they may be buying.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a key contributor to bee declines and are harming birds, butterflies and other organisms essential for healthy ecosystems and food production, the group said.
More than a dozen nurseries, landscaping companies and retailers across the U.S., including BJ’s Wholesale Club, have taken steps to eliminate bee-harming pesticides from their stores, Friends of the Earth said.
Home Depot is requiring its suppliers to label all plants treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, and is working with its suppliers to “find alternative insecticides for protecting live goods and bees,” the news release said.
It also noted that Whole Foods has a new product rating system that identifies pollinator protection as a priority by restricting neonicotinoid pesticides.
“It’s time for Lowe’s to join its competitors and make a meaningful commitment to get bee-killing pesticides off its shelves,” said Lisa Archer, food and technology program director at Friends of the Earth. “In the meantime, gardeners should plant untreated seeds or choose organic plants for their gardens.”
▪ Friends of the Earth — Gardeners Beware 2014
▪ — Bee Action Campaign
Friends of the Earth said today that the environmental group and its allies have organized more than 30,000 people to “swarm” Lowe’s stores around the country to deliver 1 million petition signatures to ask the home improvement company to remove neonicotinoid pesticides and plants treated with them from its shelves.
Lowe’s should not be “a little shop of horrors” for bees and should “give bees treats, not tricks,” Friends of the Earth said in a news release today. The actions are planned at Lowe’s stores near Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, and Ashland, Ore., as well as in Windsor and Ottawa in Ontario, Canada.
The group cited its own study of the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators, and said gardeners “should beware” of the plants and pesticides they may be buying.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a key contributor to bee declines and are harming birds, butterflies and other organisms essential for healthy ecosystems and food production, the group said.
More than a dozen nurseries, landscaping companies and retailers across the U.S., including BJ’s Wholesale Club, have taken steps to eliminate bee-harming pesticides from their stores, Friends of the Earth said.
Home Depot is requiring its suppliers to label all plants treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, and is working with its suppliers to “find alternative insecticides for protecting live goods and bees,” the news release said.
It also noted that Whole Foods has a new product rating system that identifies pollinator protection as a priority by restricting neonicotinoid pesticides.
“It’s time for Lowe’s to join its competitors and make a meaningful commitment to get bee-killing pesticides off its shelves,” said Lisa Archer, food and technology program director at Friends of the Earth. “In the meantime, gardeners should plant untreated seeds or choose organic plants for their gardens.”
▪ Friends of the Earth — Gardeners Beware 2014
▪ — Bee Action Campaign
