(Extra)ordinary in so many ways

An eco-system in balance Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

It is estimated that one third of human food crops are pollinated by bees (1). That is, the ordinary day-to-day act of insects sustaining their own species, also helps in a huge way to sustain human life on Earth. That is extraordinary — but of course, it is a part of how eco-systems work.

“In North America alone, honey bees pollinate nearly 95 kinds of fruits and nuts, including almonds, avocados, cranberries and apples. ” (source: Pesticide Action Network). Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

What seems more extraordinary is that despite increasing evidence that some human agricultural activities are actually killing bee populations (2), our species continues to allow the use of harmful pesticides and the destruction of bee habitats in order to plant more, particularly, genetically modified, mono-crops.

“The European Union suspended the use of three neonic pesticides in December 2013, after a scientific review by European Food Safety Authority found that neonicotinoids pose an unacceptably high risk to bees.” Source: Friends of the Earth Bee Action Campaign. Photo: Tony Gray, 2014

We are, in effect, biting the hand that feeds us. That is not only extraordinary, but extraordinarily stupid.

The European Union has already suspended the use of several pesticides that have been shown to be toxic to bees, but many are still able to be legally sold and used elsewhere. That includes New Zealand (3)– my home country — which is both heavily dependent on food exports and markets itself world-wide as a “clean, green” country.

Extraordinary!

This post was written for the Daily Post Photo Challenge. This week’s theme is (extra)ordinary.

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(1) ‘Pollinators help one-third of world’s crop production, says new study’, UC Berkeley, 25 October, 2006

(2) Wide Range of Pesticides Contribute to Dwindling Bee Populations, Study Finds’, Healthline, 13, October, 2015

(3) NZ urged to follow US pesticide ban, Radio NZ, 17 September 2015