Environment Texas celebrates Pollinator Week

Media Contacts
Luke Metzger

Executive Director, Environment Texas Research & Policy Center

AUSTIN – As we celebrate birds, bats, bees, beetles and butterflies during Pollinator Week 2022, Environment Texas is kicking off actions to generate visibility around the impacts of pesticides on declining pollinator populations, especially bees.

“Pollinators play an important role in our ecosystems and food systems,” said Luke Metzger, Executive Director of Environment Texas. “This Pollinator Week, we’re doubling down on our pledge to do all we can to protect our precious pollinators that help make our flowers bloom and trees bear fruit. Neonic pesticides, which have been linked to bee die-offs, also impact other pollinators, including butterflies and birds, and contribute to their population decline. It’s time to ban neonics!”

Environment Texas is encouraging local residents to: create healthy pollinator habitat by cutting back on mowing lawns, and setting aside parts of the yard for a pollinator-friendly garden; avoid the use of pesticides because even if they aren’t the intended target, pesticides severely impact pollinators, including monarch butterflies, bees and more. 

“Texas will be buzzing with activity during National Pollinator Week, raising awareness about the vital role bees play in pollinating every third bite of food and the need to protect these powerful pollinators,” said Metzger. “To save our busy little buddies, we need to restrict the use of bee-killing pesticides as soon as possible.”

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