WHY BIRDS & BEES MATTER – Consumers Association Penang

If birds didn’t exist, the world would be in chaos. Birds keep the climate stable, oxygenate air and transform pollutants into nutrients. And they help in reducing harmful creatures, pests and insects.

If bees didn’t exist, humans wouldn’t either. One third of the world’s food supply relies on bees. Out of the 100 crop species that provide us with 90% of our food, 35% are pollinated by bees, birds and bats.

Sadly:

* More than 150 bird species have gone extinct over the last 5 centuries.

* More than 1,400 bird species are threatened with extinction today. That’s 14% of bird species.

* Bees of all types are in decline worldwide. There are 20,000 distinct bee species around the world. From 2006-2015, approximately 25% fewer species were found.

* Scientists have estimated that globally, 1 in 6 bee species is regionally extinct and more than 40% are vulnerable to extinction.

Saving birds and bees are critical for both human well-being and protection of the environment.

(Cartoon images: Greenpeace UK)