Three Most Interesting Points:
1. The list of bee-pollinated plants is astoundingly long. It’s amazing that this is such a keystone species for the populations of so many.
2. The EPA isn’t responsible for testing the pesticides, but the companies are. The metaphor of a fox designing the chicken coup rings true and it seems extremely negligent of the EPA to let the chemical companies themselves test it. I’m sorry to say that I don’t really have confidence in those studies. In addition, the video is right: the company clearly had no idea how the honeybees actually foraged and worked, and the design of the studies shows that. If bees will forage for thousands of acres, two and a half acres for the field study seems really silly.
Scientific findings are confirmed through replication after replication of experiments. Even I know that and I’m only in high school. Giving the responsibility for testing to the companies without making it necessary for scientific peer review and repetition is a terrible and short-sighted way of doing things. Even if the EPA went back later and reviewed it and deemed the study unacceptable, who can know how the pesticides already in circulation will damage bees? It’s so wildly irresponsible.
3. The EPA administration has a serious communication problem with its scientists. The risk-benefit balance they touch on really highlight how horrifyingly little clout the warnings of knowledgeable professionals hold, or at least how twisted their words become higher up in the chain.
Question: Seriously, if Europe can have open channels between the scientists, beekeepers, and the administration, why can’t America?
No comments:
Post a Comment