John,

Seeds are killing birds and bees.

Dipped in pesticides, these seeds are deadly from start to finish. Planting pesticide-coated seeds creates toxic dust clouds and contaminates the groundwater. And as the seeds grow, they become poison-laced plants from stem to stamen.1

Help save the bees from pesticide-coated seeds with a matched donation today. Donations made before midnight tonight will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 nationwide. Claim your match.

Planting seeds coated with neonicotinoids (neonics) can be deadly for wildlife.

Piles of pesticide-coated seeds are left by the wayside during planting. And while it looks like a free lunch to a hungry bird, it's actually a poison pill. A single seed dipped in pesticides can kill a songbird.2

As farm equipment churns up the seeds to plant them, it also causes pesticides to rub off, creating a cloud of toxic pesticide dust that floats through the air. The wind can blow this toxic dust cloud onto nearby bee habitat and kill bees that accidentally fly into its deadly path.3

Once planted, bees still aren't safe from pesticide-coated seeds. Ninety-five percent of the pesticide doesn't stay on the seeds, and the pesticides can leach into the groundwater. When a thirsty bee goes for a drink, she could be drinking water contaminated with bee-killing pesticides.4

And even if a bee survives all that, she's still not safe. When the seed sprouts into a full-fledged plant, toxic pesticides are taken up into every fiber -- its stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and fruit. If a bee collects pollen and nectar from a pesticide-infused plant, that little bee is also collecting a deadly dose of bee-killing pesticide.5

This Earth Day, we're working to save the birds and bees from deadly neonic-coated seeds. Will you donate today?

Dunking seeds in bee-killing pesticides is all too common. Every year, 150 million acres are planted with these deadly seeds.6

Pesticide-coated seeds are killing birds and bees, and we need to stop them. To do that, Environment Colorado is:

• Calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to close a major loophole in our pesticide laws that doesn't consider these chemicals pesticides if they're applied as a seed coating.
• Urging our governor to ban neonic-coated seeds in Colorado.
• Telling Nutrien Ag Solutions, the nation's largest seller of agricultural seeds, to stop selling neonic-coated seeds.

We have just one day left in our Earth Day 2024 Drive, and we're counting on all of our supporters to help us tackle pesticide-coated seeds.

If you donate right now, your donation will be matched, up to $50,000 nationwide. Donate before midnight tonight to have double the impact this Earth Day.

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Kimberly A. Stoner, "Best Management Practices for Farmers Using Seeds Treated With Neonicotinoid Insecticides," Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, January 1, 2017.
2. Kimberly A. Stoner, "Best Management Practices for Farmers Using Seeds Treated With Neonicotinoid Insecticides," Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, January 1, 2017.
3. Kimberly A. Stoner, "Best Management Practices for Farmers Using Seeds Treated With Neonicotinoid Insecticides," Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, January 1, 2017.
4. Elizabeth Royte, "These widely used insecticides may be a threat to mammals too," National Geographic, February 5, 2021.
5. Elizabeth Royte, "These widely used insecticides may be a threat to mammals too," National Geographic, February 5, 2021.
6. Elizabeth Royte, "These widely used insecticides may be a threat to mammals too," National Geographic, February 5, 2021.

Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you. Environment Colorado may transfer up to $50 per dues-paying member per year into the Environment Colorado Small Donor Committee.