Hello, bee lover! I hope you’ve had a wonderful year, full of visits from me and my friends!
But maybe you noticed fewer of us around. For years our numbers have been declining, due in part to toxic pesticides. Even my bird and butterfly friends are suffering!
This is tough news for me and my buddies, but it’s bad for you too. Bees pollinate one in three bites of food that people eat!
Imagine your recent Thanksgiving meal without bees – no pumpkin in your pie, no cranberry in your sauce! Terrible!
With all this scary news, it would be easy for us to lose hope.
But we have Friends of the Earth’s Bee Action team and amazing Members like you by our side! Let me tell you about one of your biggest victories yet!
After celebrating a big win in convincing over 140 home and garden retailers to sell pollinator-friendly plants, Friends of the Earth set their sights on a new goal –transforming the grocery industry.
The grocery industry has a big influence on the food system.
If Friends of the Earth could persuade stores and suppliers to adopt bee-friendly practices, they could make a big difference for pollinators!
Bee Action campaigners researched and released a Bee-Friendly retailer scorecard to show which grocery stores were stepping up for bees. Kroger, the largest traditional supermarket in the country, didn’t make the grade—earning a dismal D.
Friends of the Earth had a target, but they needed help. They called on the best in the business – Members like you. Tens of thousands of you sent gifts, signed petitions and called to Kroger. We bees didn’t know we had so many friends!
Taking on a corporate giant was no easy task, and I’m sure Kroger hoped you’d throw in the towel. But you just kept pushing forward! You didn’t stop until...
VICTORY! After years of campaigning, Kroger finally announced a pollinator policy that gives bees a chance! And it’s not just them— 13 of the top 25 stores have adopted similar policies! Next up on this supermarket sweep is Target!
I won’t sugarcoat it—bees and our pollinating pals still have a long way to go. But we know we can count on you to keep signing petitions and giving generously to make 2025 a big year for bees. From all of us, thank you!
MakeyourgifttoFriendsoftheEarthtodayby visitinghttps://foe.org/fight-for-the-planet.