from the Oregonian

"The Oregon Department of Agriculture has placed restrictions on two types of pesticides implicated in mass bee die-offs in Wilsonville and Hillsboro this summer. Pesticides containing dinotefuran and imidacloprid can no longer be applied to linden trees, basswood and other trees of the Tilia genus."

Not everyone is happy about the new restrictions. Scott Dahlman, a lobbyist for the pesticide industry, said that pesticides "pose no harm to the environment" as long as they are properly applied.

What can you do to help save bees? Plant bee-friendly flowers and avoid using pesticides. Also, buy organic food. Read more here.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement in November 2012 warning that exposure to pesticides can result in cancer, decreased cognitive function and behavioral problems in children. They recommend that families learn about integrated pest management, which means seeking out the least toxic methods of dealing with pest problems in the home and garden.

The Oregonian's recent article on this topic provides specific tips for pesticide-free gardening, such as spraying plants with water to remove aphids, or picking slugs off plants by hand.

If you'd like to learn more about natural gardening techniques, come to the Sabin Bee-Friendly Garden Tour on Sunday, July 14 from 11:00 to 3:00. The tour is free and includes 15 bee-friendly backyards in the inner NE Portland neighborhood of Sabin. We'll have natural gardening experts on hand, to chat with you about non-toxic methods of pest control. We'll also have several experts on honey bees, native bees and other pollinators, to answer your questions about these critters and explain how to create healthy bee habitat in your garden. For more information, please see the Garden Tour tab on the Sabin Community Association website: sabinpdx.org

What's on Your Plate? is a documentary that follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah address questions regarding the origin of the food they eat, how it’s cultivated, how many miles it travels from the harvest to their plate, how it’s prepared, who prepares it, and what is done afterwards with the packaging and leftovers. They discover programs that help struggling farmers to survive and provide affordable, locally-grown food communities, especially to lower-income urban families.

The film has been hailed by Michael Pollan, Kofi Annan, Marion Nestle, Alice Waters and other food activists.

Sabin will be celebrating National Nutrition Month with a Wellness Event on Thursday, March 8 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. The event will feature:
 
  * Healthy snacks by our own Sabin Garden Chefs
  * Burrito dinner from Laughing Planet
  * Healthy cookbook and recipe exchange
  * Art activity
  *  Motion Magic Circus Arts
  * Great Raffle Prizes including:
        - 2 gym memberships to West Coast Fitness on NE Alberta
        - Grand Central Bakery coupon for FREE loaf of bread once a month for a year
        - cookbooks for kids
        - sports equipment
  * Booths from Whole Foods, New Seasons, Creston Dental Clinic and Multnomah School-Based Health Centers
  *  Josiah Hill Clinic will be doing FREE lead tests
 
For more information, or to volunteer, contact Jill Abraham.