We’ve done it, folks. We’ve successfully reduced a massive U.S. population of vital honey bees to a low enough number that they may soon be placed on the endangered species list.

This isn’t just an issue for the bees – if it were, humanity wouldn’t really give a damn (see: Black Rhino, White Rhino, Passenger Pigeon, etc, etc, etc). No, the endangered status of the honey bee means that shortly, we, too, could find ourselves in need of rescue.

Bees are a vital element to the world’s food chain, working to pollinate plants all over the country and bolstering every crop that humanity relies upon. Without bees, there is no way to feed the billions of humans on the planet – without bees, we can barely feed anyone.

We have seen massive hive collapses all over the country, with many different possible culprits, but the primary suspect is pesticides and insecticides.

Without direct intervention from humanity, we could see the end of bees within our lifetime, and if the end of bees is to arrive, so follows humanity.

Watch.

Sydney Robinson is a political writer for the Ring of Fire Network. She has also appeared in political news videos for Ring of Fire. Sydney has a degree in English Literature from the University of West Florida, and has an active interest in politics, social justice, and environmental issues. She would love to hear from you on Twitter @SydneyMkay or via email at srobinson@ringoffireradio.com