Glyphosate – the weedkiller better known by its most-famous brand name Roundup has serious environmental consequences.
Roundup has been under a microscope since 2015 when the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared Roundup’s active ingredient glyphosate a possible human carcinogen. Since then, Roundup manufacturer Monsanto (purchased by Bayer) has been battling thousands of lawsuits alleging that the product caused non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Unfortunately for the company, a growing number of countries, states and cities have been restricting or outright banning Roundup and the use of glyphosate.
Glyphosate has a potential link to cancer and reproductive problems in humans, as well as potentially causing the death of important insects, such as bees. Biologists have sounded the alarm over the serious decline in insect populations that affect species diversity. In addition, scientists warn that these glyphosate and other similar products damage ecosystems by disrupting the natural food chains and plant pollination.
24 US states have already banned the use of RoundUp with Germany declaring a ban by 2024 with a further 19 countires vowing to ban the product - the UK is not one of them.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many other decision-makers have largely been taking Monsanto at its word when it claims its product is safe. But Monsanto has not been transparent about the potential health effects of Roundup. In 2017, Monsanto was caught ghost-writing studies for “independent scientists” to show that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is safe, which it is not.
In April 2018, Mila de Mier - a 45-year-old activist from Key West, Florida who opposed the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes - was found dead in a swimming pool at a hotel in Washington D.C. De Meir was visiting D.C. to deliver a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency demanding the agency deny a permit for the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes in Florida and Texas.
Hector had dedicated a significant portion of his time to fight the big companies to have the product banned in the UK and to highlight the dangers to personal and enviromental health and to expose the coverups and conspiracies keeping th eprocut on the market. His jounery is detailed in his novels.
Save the Bees!
Bees are a fantastic symbol of nature. That they are in trouble is a sign that our natural environment is not in the good shape it should be.
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food.
By keeping the cycle of life turning, bees boost the colour and beauty of our countryside. Some 80% of European wildflowers require insect pollination. Many of them such as foxglove, clovers and vetches rely on bees.
Pollinators allow plants to fruit, set seed and breed. This in turn provides food and habitat for a range of other creatures. So the health of our natural ecosystems is fundamentally linked to the health of our bees and other pollinators.
Maintaining our native flora also depends on healthy pollinator populations. This includes wild flowers such as poppies, cornflowers and bluebells, as well as trees and shrubs. The close relationship between pollinators and the plants they pollinate is evident in the parallel declines seen across the UK and Europe: 76% of plants preferred by bumblebees have declined in recent decades, with 71% seeing contractions in their geographical range.
How can you help?
Pollinators need help, but we know how to help them! P2 scientists and research partners that have been studying pollinators for over three decades have been able to show that conservation techniques work. If everyone – home owners, local governments, national governments, and private industry – made the effort we could change the future for pollinators and secure our own.
Plant a pollinatior garden - plant buddleja, lavender, hydrangeas and campanula to name but few of the pollinator friendly plants on offer here. Not only will you create a haven for friendly insects, your garden will look beautiful too.
