Dive Brief:
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The Washington, DC- and Berkelety, CA-based environmental activist group Friends of the Earth and its supporters say they sent 30,000 Halloween cards and staged protests outside of Lowe’s stores in the U.S. and Canada. At issue is the sale or use of pesticides that some scientists say contribute to the colony collapse plaguing bee populations in recent years.
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Friends of the Earth has published data and cites several recent studies showing that neonicotinoid pesticides are harmful to bees.
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Lowe’s for its part said that "it is concerned about the loss of bees and other pollinators" and that it follows the latest science from "environmental groups and respected universities.”
Dive Insight:
Friends of the Earth has been busy before, creating a buzz by staging bee protests at Lowe’s and other home improvement and garden retailers. The group may have science on its side. With bees so important to the pollination of many major crops in the United States, look for tighter regulation of these pesticides down the line, if and when the latest studies sway the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
