Dia De Los Muertos

Superior Essays
Every November 1st, the people of Mexico gather to celebrate the lives of their deceased loved ones on a holiday called Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Part of the celebration is partaking in observing the annual migrations of the monarch butterfly, as they are said to be the souls of the deceased revisiting the earth because they always mysteriously appear on the same day every year, the Day of the Dead (“Dia de los Muertos”). However, in 2013, the butterflies did not arrive, only trickling in a week after (Robbins). Since 1990, the number of monarch butterflies has faced a dramatic decrease from 1 billion to less than 35 million (Lee). If the number of butterflies continues to decline towards extinction, the loss will affect much …show more content…
Those to the east of the Rocky Mountains find residence in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico and those west of the Rocky Mountains reside along the Californian coast (“Migration and Overwintering”). But within the last two decades, more than 90% of the monarch butterfly population has vanished. Research done by the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and Iowa State University has ascribed this decline to the widespread use of glyphosate herbicides, predominantly Roundup Ready, attacking the butterfly’s habitat: milkweed (Pleasants 135). The herbicide Roundup Ready, produced by the agrochemical company Monsanto, is a leading herbicide widely used by corporations and private entities; traces of this chemical can be found all over the United States in farm croplands, local gardens, even the grounds of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum and Central Park (Lenzer). The herbicide unfortunately kills off the only weed that the monarch butterfly will lay their eggs on. From 1999 to 2009, there has been a noticeable 60% decrease in the amount of milkweed plants (Pleasants …show more content…
Nonetheless, with the support from larger organizations, the developing business ENCORE 3 can potentially expand their market into the United States. A non-governmental organization, The Nature Conservancy values corporate accountability to preserving nature and wildlife through means of reconstructing business practices and raising awareness. The Conservancy has a Private Lands Conservation Program that procures and protects environmentally sensitive land; these lands are then offered to prospective landowners who work towards preserving the land and possess an intention to better the environment. Currently, the Conservancy has acquired over 15 million acres up for opportunity in the United States (“Private Lands

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