Honeybee Population Decline and Its Devastating Effects Are Topic of 'Vanishing of the Bees' Documentary is focus of three U.S.

NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2010 -- Bee Native, The Honeybee
Conservancy and the Natural Resources Defense Council
announce the creation of a February 4th fundraiser for
"Vanishing of the Bees," a new documentary that
comprehensively demystifies the collapse of honeybee
populations across the planet and its risk to $15 billion
dollars' worth of U.S. agricultural revenue products.

Helen Faraday Young, Founder of Bee Native, said,
"'Vanishing of the Bees' is focusing unprecedented awareness
on the confounding disappearance of up to 50% of our
honeybees and the possible connection to a group of systemic
pesticides known as neonicotinoids. Illegal in many European
countries because of their toxicity, these pesticides are
still legal and readily used in the United States."

The fundraiser comes a few months before the film's premiere
in the U.S. and after a high-profile and successful
screening run in the U.K. When previewed in England,
Filmstar reviewed it as "the most important documentary film
since AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH." The directors traveled the
world and returned with some profound answers from a diverse
group of beekeepers from abroad.

"Most people think bees are simply stinging insects that
produce honey but primarily they pollinate one-third of our
diet. What's really at the core of their importance is
pollination - apples, oranges, melons, broccoli, even
alfalfa used to feed our livestock rely on bee pollination,"
said director George Langworthy.

"Honeybees are the modern canary in the coal mine," stated
director Maryam Henein. "They have a very important message
to impart to our planet. They are telling us that we are out
of sync with nature and that we need to come together for
the greater good of Mother Earth and be the change we want
to see."

"Our collaboration on this event comes at a critical time as
more people are galvanizing to help the honeybees. New York
City moves towards lifting its beekeeping ban and a federal
court has just invalidated the EPA's approval of a pesticide
known to be toxic to America's honeybees," said Guillermo
Fernandez, Founder of The Honeybee Conservancy.

RAMSCALE, located at 463 West Street, 13th floor, New York
NY 10014, is hosting the event on February 4th from
7:00-10:00pm. The event includes previews of the documentary
and a Q&A with the directors George Langworthy and Maryam
Henein, a silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and drinks. Tickets
can be purchased at
http://www.thehoneybeeconservancy.org/Events.html.

FilmAngels, HerFLiX, New Realities and Weleda are also
supporting the event. Underwriters for the evening include:
Brotherhood Vineyards, Hudson-Chatham Winery, Manhattan
Meadery and Trader Joe's. Donors to the silent auction
include: Anarchy Apiaries, Apiary Restaurant, BBC Earth, Big
Dipper Wax Works, Chelsea Market Baskets, Honey Love Soaps,
Mantis Farm in Hudson, NY, PAM Progressive Asset Management
and the Pfeiffer Center.

For further information, the following links may be helpful: 

http://vanishingbees.co.uk/
http://www.beenative.org
http://www.thehoneybeeconservancy.org
http://www.nrdc.org
http://www.ramscale.com