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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006><SPAN
class=750404020-03042006>The following small article was published in Canada's
national newspaper on the weekend</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006><SPAN
class=750404020-03042006></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006><SPAN
class=750404020-03042006></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006><STRONG>Economy Thrives on
Bugs</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006>Globe
and Mail</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006>April
1 2006</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=921273917-03042006>Ann
McIroy</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006>Dung beetles, bees and mosquitoes are not normally
considered part of the service sector, but researchers say bugs contribute $57
billion (U.S.) a year to the American economy. Bees, for example, pollinate
close to $3 - billion worth of fruit and vegetables every year, say John Losey
of Cornell University and Mace Vaughan of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation based in Portland, Ore. </SPAN><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006> They have produced detailed bug
spreadsheets, which calculate that bees contribute $158.51 - million to toward
the production of apples every year, but only $7.19 - million to raspberry
production. Dung beetles are also worth a bundle, decomposing the vast
quantities of waste produced by farm animals. In the process, they recycle
nitrogen and reduce the habitat of unwanted pests. Even mosquitoes are
valuable - as a source for protein for birds and fish. The researchers say
their estimate is conservative, and doesn't include the contribution of
commercial insects, such as honey-producing bees. Given the evidence that insect
populations are declining, they say it may be worth spending billions on
conservation efforts that would help to keep bugs hard at
work.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=921273917-03042006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Faisal Moola, PhD</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Director of Science</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>David Suzuki Foundation</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>2211 West 4th Avenue</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Suite 219</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Vancouver, BC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Canada, V6K 4S2</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>604 732 4228 tel</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>604 732 0752 fax</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/">www.davidsuzuki.org</A></FONT></DIV>
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