{"id":18248,"date":"2016-06-14T00:00:12","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T04:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=18248"},"modified":"2016-06-14T11:26:38","modified_gmt":"2016-06-14T15:26:38","slug":"local-restaurants-launch-campaign-to-protect-pollinators-during-national-pollinator-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2016\/06\/local-restaurants-launch-campaign-to-protect-pollinators-during-national-pollinator-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Restaurants Launch Campaign to Protect Pollinators during National Pollinator Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticide<\/em>s, June 14, 2016) To celebrate National Pollinator Week, June 20-26, 2016, several Washington, DC restaurants have teamed up with Beyond Pesticides and the Center for Food Safety to launch a campaign, \u201cMade by Pollinators<\/a>,<\/em>\u201d to protect pollinators suffering steep declines. With one out of every three bites of food reliant on bees, the participating restaurants\u2019 patrons will be treated to a special menu featuring pollinator-friendly food and provided with information on what they can do to help pollinators. The restaurants hope to increase public awareness on the importance of pollinators and steps that can be taken to reverse the decline. Participating \u00a0restaurants include Busboys and Poets<\/a>, Founding Farmers<\/a>, Lavagna<\/a>, the Tabard Inn<\/a> and Restaurant Nora<\/a>.
\nOf the 100 crop varieties that provide 90% of the world\u2019s food, 71 are pollinated by bees. \"RestaurantsHoney bees alone pollinate 95 kinds of fruits, nuts and vegetables, such as apples, avocados, almonds, and cranberries. The value of pollination services to U.S. agriculture alone amounts to nearly $30 billion and about 80% of flowering plants require animal pollination.<\/p>\n

A recent government survey reports that U.S. beekeepers lost 44 percent of their colonies between spring 2015 and 2016 \u2014the second highest loss to date. Numerous studies find that commonly used pesticides \u2014 both agricultural and residential pesticides\u2014 are a major contributing factor in pollinator declines.<\/p>\n

Busboys and Poets said, “Without bees, we wouldn’t be able to serve 99% of our menu. Our participation in Pollinator Week is a small step toward a movement to promote the health of our planet’s ecosystems.”<\/p>\n

Nora Pouillon, owner and founder of Restaurant Nora, said, \u201cBees are the most important thing for sustainable food growth, which is one of the reasons I source 100% organic food, free of pesticides that may cause pollinators harm. . . My business partner takes it one step further and raises bees.\u201d Restaurant Nora is America\u2019s first certified organic restaurant, committed to serving environmentally conscious cuisine for nearly 40 years.<\/p>\n

The Tabard Inn said, “We believe it is important for us and our future generations to protect our environment and encourage smart use of our resources . . . By collaborating with local organic farmers, national organizations, and specialized purveyors, we aim to better the quality of our products, and ultimately everyone’s health. We strive to use pesticide-free, environmentally-responsible products.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides said, \u201cWe deeply appreciate the leadership of these restaurants in protecting bees by sourcing organic and sustainable food, while educating their patrons on the importance of bees in our food system and what they can do to protect pollinators.\u201d<\/p>\n

National Pollinator Week began ten years ago when the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the designation to protect pollinator populations. It has since grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and all other pollinator species.<\/p>\n

#BuildtheBuzz for Pollinator Week with Additional Events<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to the “Made by Pollinators” Campaign, here are some things you can do in your community for pollinator week. Here’s what you can do:<\/p>\n

1) Organize a Meeting in Your Community. <\/strong>Utilize a public space, such as your local library or community center, have a house party, or host a pollinator-friendly dinner and view the talk Pollinators, Biodiversity and Scientific Integrity<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, by Jonathan Lundgren, Ph.D. from Beyond Pesticides\u2019 34th National Pesticide Forum. This is a perfect opportunity to have a discussion with your friends and neighbors about the serious issue of pollinator decline and what you can do.