Tell this giant hardware chain: Stop selling Roundup

Tell this giant hardware chain: Stop selling Roundup

Glyphosate — the main ingredient in the popular pesticide Roundup — is devastating monarch butterflies.1

 
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Roundup is wiping out the milkweed that monarch butterfly caterpillars need.

Roundup is ubiquitous. Every year, millions and millions of pounds of it are sprayed across the country.2

And all of that Roundup is wiping out the milkweed that monarch butterfly caterpillars rely on for food.

Monarch butterflies need our help. That’s why we’re calling on Home Depot to stop selling Roundup.

Monarch butterfly populations have plummeted.

In the past few decades, monarch butterfly populations have plummeted by as much as 95%.3

One big reason? The pervasive use of Roundup.4

Monarch caterpillars need one thing to continue their life cycle and develop into the butterflies they’re meant to be — and that’s the milkweed plant. It’s the only plant that monarch mothers will lay their eggs on, and it’s the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat in the early stages of life when they need energy to grow and develop.5

But the increased use of pesticides have contributed to a major decline in milkweed. In turn, this decline has left monarchs with fewer and fewer places to lay eggs and their caterpillars with less and less food.6

Take action to protect monarchs from glyphosate.

Roundup isn’t just dangerous to butterflies. The World Health Organization has labeled glyphosate a “probably carcinogenic to humans.” One study estimates that exposure can raise the risk of cancer by 41%.7

Killing weeds more easily isn’t worth the damage that glyphosate inflicts.

Bayer — the company that purchased Monsanto, the original maker of Roundup — has said they’ll reformulate the pesticide to remove glyphosate, but only from some of their products.8

Until that’s done — and the new version is proven safe — we’re calling on Home Depot to get Roundup off their shelves.

Home Depot can make a difference on this issue. As one of the largest home improvement stores, Home Depot can cut down on the millions of pounds of Roundup sprayed by taking the product off its shelves. Home Depot can also set a positive example for others in the industry to follow.

Take action to protect monarch butterflies from glyphosate.

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  1. Jim Daley, “Study on Weed Killers and Monarch Butterflies Spurs Ecological Flap,” Scientific American, March 21, 2019.
  2. “Bayer plans to phase out use of harmful chemical in Roundup,” US PIRG, July 30, 2021.
  3. Gabrielle Canon, “‘It’s a sad reality’: a troubling trend sees a 97% decline in monarch butterflies,” The Guardian, December 8, 2018.
    4. Jeff McMahon, “Monarch Butterflies Suffered One Blow From Glyphosate, Then Another From Climate Change,” Forbes, December 27, 2022.
  4. “Western Monarch Biology,” Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, last accessed June 12, 2023.
    6. Paul Schattenberg, “Monarch Butterflies Facing Battle For Survival, Experts Say,” Texas A&M Today, August 2, 2022.
  5. Emily Dixon, “Common weed killer glyphosate increases cancer risk by 41%, study says,” CNN, February 15, 2019.
  6. “Bayer takes additional $4.5 billion charge for Roundup suits,” Associated Press, July 29, 2021.
  7. Emily Dixon, “Common weed killer glyphosate increases cancer risk by 41%, study says,” CNN, February 15, 2019.
  8. “Bayer takes additional $4.5 billion charge for Roundup suits,” Associated Press, July 29, 2021.