Surviving Capitalism (Not) : EPA Document Shows It Knowingly Allowed Pesticide That Kills Honey Bees

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

EPA Document Shows It Knowingly Allowed Pesticide That Kills Honey Bees

by Ariel Schwartz from Solidarity Economy.

The world honey bee population has plunged in recent years, worrying beekeepers and farmers who know how critical bee pollination is for many crops. ...Now a leaked EPA document reveals that the agency allowed the widespread use of a bee-toxic pesticide, despite warnings from EPA scientists.

Unfortunately, the article does not sufficiently link this finding with the profit interests of corporations and their influence over government agencies.