What is the problem? Billions of bees are being killed off across the country, threatening our crops and food.

The villain? The use of neonicotinoid pesticides.

This is how I took action and exercised the power of literacy:

I could have signed a petition at:

www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_usa/96.php

but I chose to write to EPA via:

http://publicaccess.supportportal.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=23012

Dear EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson:

I am asking that use of neonicotinoid pesticide be outlawed until the registration review is completed. Michael Pollan points out that 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat are dependent on bee pollination.  If 1 in 8 Americans already go hungry, why are we killing off pollinators?

Thank you for taking my comment and vote to outlaw neonicotinoid pesticides.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Me, a manuscript consultant and writing-career coach, writing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and asking my fellow writers to exercise their power of literacy? Oh yes!