Dear Editor:

I am concerned that with the flooding of farmland, the pesticides that are already in our foods due to over application will enter into our streams and water supply. The most common pesticides we used, called neonics, are very similar to nicotine, and are just as addictive and even more harmful. Not only are they detrimental to the people who ingest them, they are devastating to the bees that pollinate our crops. 

These neonics are responsible for the current decimation of both the native and domestic pollinators. Bee keepers report that 30 percent of their hives die each winter, which is more than twice the sustainable die off rate. As it currently stands, the resource systems that we depend on for survival are undergoing rapid change due to our misuse of pesticides. Apples, tomatoes, potatoes, and the alfalfa we use to feed our dairy cattle are all at risk. 

The reduction or elimination of neonics isn’t at all unachievable. Canada is actively phasing these pesticides out, and the EU has banned them entirely. In the States, Connecticut and Maryland have already passed legislation restricting the sale and use of neonics.

In these times of sensational media, fake news, political division and perpetual controversy, it is easy to forget that we, the voters and citizens, have not only the ability, but the obligation to act collectively to change our world for the better. 

Thank you,

Henry Klatt