Amazing response! 24 hours to end bee poison

/Wow! 750,000 signers in less than 36 hours. Share this with everyone --
let's reach 2.5 million before tomorrow's key meeting/

Dear friends,

<http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees_rb/?bnGuxcb&v=21490>

*Bees around the world are dying off* and Europe's food watchdog just
said certain pesticides are part of the problem.*We've got 24 hours
before key meetings* -- let's get a 2-million-person swarm to save the
bees. *Click to take urgent action now:*

Sign the petition
<http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees_rb/?bnGuxcb&v=21490>

Quietly, globally, *billions of bees are dying,* threatening our crops
and food. But *in 24 hours the European Union could move to ban the most
poisonous pesticides,* and pave the way to a global ban that would save
bees from extinction.

*Four EU countries have begun banning these poisons,* and some bee
populations are already recovering. Days ago the official European food
safety watchdog stated for the first time that certain pesticides are
fatally harming bees. Now legal experts and *European politicians are
calling for an immediate ban. But Bayer and other giant pesticide
producers are lobbying hard* to keep them on the market. If we build a
huge swarm of public outrage now, *we can push the European Commission
to put our health and our environment before the profit of a few.*

*We know our voices count!* Last year, our 1.2 million strong petition
forced US authorities to open a formal consultation on pesticides -- now
*if we reach 2 million, we can persuade the EU to get rid of these crazy
poisons* and pave the way for a ban worldwide. Sign the urgent petition
and send this to everyone -- *Avaaz and leading MEPs will deliver our
message ahead of this week's key meeting in Brussels:*

http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees_rb/?bnGuxcb&v=21490

Bees don't just make honey, they *are vital to life on earth,* every
year pollinating 90% of plants and crops -- with an estimated $40bn
value and over one-third of the food supply in many countries. Without
immediate action to save bees, many of our favourite fruits, vegetables,
and nuts could vanish from our shelves.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee
populations -- *some bee species are already extinct and some US species
are at just 4% of their previous numbers.* Scientists have been
scrambling for answers and now the European Food Safety Authority is
saying that toxic chemicals called *neonicotinoid pesticides could be
responsible for the bee deaths.* France, Italy, Slovenia and even
Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of
these bee-killing pesticides. But Bayer continues to export its poison
across the world.

Now the *issue is coming to a boil.* EU parliamentarians are stepping up
their pressure on the European Commission and key governments to push
new legislation to ban the deadly pesticides, and we can offer them the
public support they need to counter the powerful pesticide lobby. *Sign
the urgent petition to Europe's leaders, then forward this email widely:*

http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees_rb/?bnGuxcb&v=21490

Our world is beset with threats to what makes it habitable, and to what
fills it with wonder. The Avaaz community comes together to defend both
-- large or small. Whether winning a battle to keep the International
Whaling Commission from sanctioning the murder of these giants, or
saving bees, the tiny creatures upon which so much depends, we will come
together and stand up for the world we all want.

With hope,

Luis, Ari, Alice, Iain, Ricken, David, Alaphia, and the Avaaz team

SOURCES

Pesticides pose danger to bees (European Voice)
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2013/january/pesticides-pose-danger-to-bees/76158.aspx

Crop pesticides are 'killing our bees' - says MEP (Public Service Europe)
http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3007/crop-pesticides-are-killing-our-bees-says-mep#ixzz2JGICse6a


Death knell for nerve agent pesticides in move to save bees (Independent)
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/death-knell-for-nerve-agent-pesticides-in-move-to-save-bees-8454443.html

Give Bees a Chance! (The Greens European Free Alliance)
http://www.greens-efa.eu/give-bees-a-chance-9012.html

Studies fault Bayer in bee die-off (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0406/Studies-fault-Bayer-in-bee-die-off


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