body
WHEREAS, green spaces like pollinator gardens can improve mental health by reducing stress, providing peaceful environments, and giving people a chance to connect with nature; and,
WHEREAS, pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds are vital for growing the food we eat and keeping our environment healthy; and,
WHEREAS, many pollinator species like Monarch butterflies and bumblebees are endangered, and creating habitats like pollinator gardens is crucial to ensuring their survival; and,
WHEREAS, in the past bee populations decreased at a rate of 15% but since 2006 it has increased to an alarming 30% every year, and bees are responsible for pollinating ? of the world's food supply; and,
WHEREAS, pollinators are responsible for over 75% of the world's flowering plants; and,
WHEREAS, while pollinator gardens are essential to maintaining a healthy environment and ecosystem, they are also needed to provide cleaner cities and communities; and,
WHEREAS, pollinator gardens in Pittsburgh help reduce urban heat, filter pollutants from the air, and provide natural cooling, which are critical benefits in combating the effects of climate change in cities; and,
WHEREAS, pollinator gardens help protect wildlife by giving them access to safe spaces and natural resources; and,
WHEREAS, climate change is a social justice and equity issue, disproportionately affecting people of color and people in poverty, thereby exacerbating existing inequities and limiting equality of opportunity, which is a foundational aspiration for modern America; and,
WHEREAS, pollinator gardens can create more beautiful environments and help people feel better about where they live, and;
WHEREAS, the Humane Action Pennsylvania Youth Steering Committee and the City of Pittsburgh recognize that protecting pollinators is not only about preserving biodiversity but also about fostering a culture of care, leadership, and responsibility among young people, whose actions today will shape the healt...
Click here for full text