GMO Crops and Pesticides v. Insects

Two reports in the news. The first is about monarch butterflies, how genetically modified crops which are roundup ready are contributing to an 81% decline in butterfly reproduction. It's a terrifying piece, and one that means planting milkweed in our garden is huge. And plant with well-behaved species, like Asclepias incarnata and A. sullivantii. Here's Monarch Watch's rundown of the falling winter population in Mexico.

And second is a report on pesticides destroying bee populations. Not just spraying, but coated seed shells from agriculture and pollen that blows around, collected by bees.

As I watch my neighbors spray their landscapes and mow three times a week, automatic sprinklers watering several times a week in high winds at mid day (worst time), a small suburban lot suddenly seems to have much more power when it's linked to several others. What if these spaces had swaths of native plants, adjusted to the soil and environment, growing carefree and organically with less water requirements? Wouldn't your children thank you, running barefoot in the grass and across flower beds, touching and smelling the blooms, marveling at the masses of butterflies and birds? We can make a massive difference this spring and summer!