SAN DIEGO — Environment California, an organization aiming to make the world a greener, healthier place say pesticides in our urban waterways are putting bees in danger.
The group is now calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2146 to help save California’s bees.
"Just one square foot of lawn treated with a neonic at approved rates contains enough chemicals to kill over one million bees,” said Ben Grundy, a conservation associate with Environment California.
Environment California’s interactive map shows neonicotinoid has been detected in nearly 20% of San Diego County’s samples including the San Diego River, Chollas Creek and the Sweetwater River.
But Grundy says, it’s not just San Diego.
"92% of water samples in Southern California and 58% of samples in Northern California contained levels above the EPA's benchmark for aquatic water systems," said Grundy.
Senior Conservation Director for Environment America, Steve Blackledge urges citizens to stop using pesticides.
"We're choosing to protect the natural world and the wildlife we share it with over a slightly more manicured yard or golf course," said Blackledge.
Laura Deehan, state director for Environment California, says the state is home to 1,600 unique species of bees.
"Unless we reverse this trend and unless we stop the widespread use of neonicotinoids and these bee killing products, the balance of life on earth is honestly threatened,” said Deehan, warning that the problem will only get worse if left unchecked. “Right now, 1 in 4 of those species is now at risk of extinction. Last year, more than 40% of honeybee populations were lost year over year."
Travis Wolfe, with Bee Leaf USA, a company specializing in beehive management, as well as live bee removal and relocation agrees with Environment California’s call to decrease pesticide usage.
"You don't need chemical pesticides," said Wolfe. "Anything that's carried through that water, no matter how organic you try to be, that water is the basis of all life. If it's contaminated, it spreads everywhere,"
Wolfe adds bees are more important than you might think. Without them, we’d be in big trouble.
"It is important to our food supply," said Wolfe. "And not just our food supply, but our food's food supply."
For more information about Environment California, click here.
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