02
Jun
Save the Date: National Pollinator Week Set for June 20-26, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides June 2, 2016) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack recently released a Proclamation for National Pollinator Week, which is set to take place from June 20-26, 2016. National Pollinator Week began ten years ago when the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the designation of a week in June to address the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator week has since grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and all other pollinator species. While much remains to be done to combat contributing factors to pollinator declines, such as the use of neonicotinoid pesticides and disappearing pollinator habitat, National Pollinator Week is a chance to reflect and celebrate the achievements of the past year, while simultaneously raising awareness of the important role pollinators play in our daily lives.
This year, to help increase education and bring awareness to the issue of pollinator declines, Beyond Pesticides and the Center for Food Safety are teaming up with several Washington, DC area restaurants to launch a “Made by Pollinators” campaign. Participating restaurants, which include Founding Farmers, Lavagna, Tabard Inn and Restaurant Nora, will educate the public on the importance of pollinators in our daily lives by marking up their menus to show patrons how many of their favorite dishes contain ingredients that rely on pollinators for production. Currently, one out of every three bites of food we take requires pollination, a fact these environmentally conscious restaurants will impart on the public as they dine during National Pollinator Week 2016.
To support the “Made by Pollinators” campaign, we encourage anyone in the greater Washington, DC area to make a reservation at one of these fine establishments during National Pollinator Week 2016. For information on how to do so, please see below. Additionally, if you know of a restaurant in your area that may wish to participate in the “Made by Pollinators” campaign, click here to read our flyer on how to get involved.
MAKE A RESERVATION at one of our participating restaurants to celebrate National Pollinator Week!
In addition to the “Made by Pollinators” campaign, Beyond Pesticides is also supporting the national Keep the Hives Alive Tour, which will culminate in Washington, DC during National Pollinator Week. The Keep the Hives Alive Tour aims to educate the general public on the impact bee-toxic chemicals have on the livelihoods of American beekeepers. The tour will travel across the United States, holding rallies and events to raise awareness about pollinator declines, and urge action on bee-toxic pesticides to safe guard our food supply. If you would like to contribute to the Keep the Hives Alive Tour or find out how to get involved, please visit the Indiegogo campaign page.
Finally, Beyond Pesticides will be participating in USDA’s seventh annual Pollinator Festival on Friday, June 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival, which is held outside USDA Headquarters next to the Headquarters People Garden and USDA Farmers Market along 12st street SW, in Washington, DC. Beyond Pesticides will be distributing clover and other pollinator friendly seeds, as well as sharing information about the organization’s efforts to protect pollinators, so be sure to stop by if you are in the area.
For more information on how to help pollinators in your area, visit our BEE Protective page. Bee Protective is a national campaign established by Beyond Pesticides and Center for Food Safety, and works with municipalities, campuses, and homeowners to adopt policies that protect pollinators from bee-toxic pesticides. You can also help fight pollinator declines by signing our petition to tell the Environmental Protection Agency to ACT NOW on bee killing pesticides. Click here to add your name before June 22nd!
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.
