The fact that toxic pesticides harm pollinators is not news — but a new study suggests their effects may be even worse than originally thought due to the ongoing overheating of our planet, Phys.org reported.
What's happening?
According to a scientific study conducted by researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, published in the journal Global Change Biology, and summarized by Phys.org, warmer winters are worsening the effects of pesticides on bees, reducing their life expectancy by 70%.
"We have observed that in the worst of the two simulated temperature increase scenarios, bees live about five days less than under normal conditions," said the study's lead author, Sergio Albacete. "This may seem like a small difference, but in life spans as short as those of Osmias (approximately 20 days), this can have devastating consequences on a population scale."
Why should we be worried about bee populations?
In addition to being worthy of conservation and protection simply by virtue of being a living thing on this planet, bees are crucial pollinators on which entire ecosystems rely. Without pollinators, plants can't reproduce, and a worldwide decline in pollinators could threaten global food supplies.
Pesticides, essentially just poison sprayed on or near crops, also kill bees and other pollinators.
Rising global temperatures, largely a consequence of our society's reliance on dirty energy sources like gas and oil, have also been found to harm bee populations. Now, the new research shows that both factors combine to worsen impacts, which is especially bad news for bees and for all of us.
What's being done to protect bees?
To prevent even more planetary overheating, it is vital that we move beyond gas and oil and focus instead on building out more infrastructure around clean, renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
It is also vital that we find ways to protect crops that aren't toxic pesticides, and that we discourage our governments and legislatures from bowing to pressure from the pesticide industry.
Unfortunately, at the moment, things seem to be moving in the opposite direction. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed new legislation that would strip away the ability of state and local governments to protect communities from pesticides. Similarly, the EPA recently approved the use of particularly dangerous herbicide over the protests of public health advocates.
To protect ourselves, our communities, and pollinators from toxic chemicals, it helps to get involved to make your voice heard. That can be through voting or simply speaking to neighbors. Beyond that, of course, you can avoid using any such chemicals in your yard and garden.
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