SAVE THE BEES

SAVE THE BEES

Did you know that our future is at stake due to the decrease in the bee population?

Sadly, some politicians have turned their backs on science and environmental issues, which is probably why this crucial topic is not given top priority.

Colony Collapse Disorder is a condition that is causing a decline in the bee population that puts our food supply at risk. We all know that bees are pollinators and transfer pollen from flower to flower. 30% of the world’s crops survive because of bee pollination.

Without bees to spread seed and pollen to food crops, our crops will die off and there will be no more food. We are not just talking about honey here. Bees help produce most fruits and vegetables and the number of bees is declining. In fact, the U.S. has the lowest number of hives in 50 years.

Although bees can die from multiple causes, the EPA is just now admitting that an insecticide called neonicotinoid weakens, disorients, and kills honey bees (something they found out in 2011). Monsanto has been given a three million dollar grant from the EPA to fix the problem that they created in the first place. However, the honey bee does not fit into their design of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Instead of helping the bees, they are creating a flying ant species to do the pollinating. This is our money folks! Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta, BASF, Dow and Dupont sell poisonous pesticides to the farms and advocate no change in current pesticide policies.

China has totally lost their bee population and now hire people to pollinate their fruit trees and vegetables by hand.

Thankfully this crisis is being taken seriously by some proactive groups. Cheerios has given away 1.5 billion (they projected one million) wildflower seeds in the U.S. to encourage people to plant them to bring awareness to the importance of bees as pollinators. Other bee friendly companies that have partnered with Xerces Society, a nonprofit organization that protects pollinators and their habitats include:

Whole Foods

General Mills

Burt’s Bees

Boiron

Annie’s

Canadian Farm

Celestial Seasoning

Talenti

While I was researching for this blog, I noticed that the European countries are more progressive in environmental issues and open to change. Maybe we have become spoiled Americans and it is time to join the awakening around the planet. No more sleepwalking with our eyes closed. We need to look with eyes wide open and become responsible for our future and our children’s future. There are many ways that you as an individual can help ensure our livelihood and bring back the bees…... Here are some tips below:

Plant bee friendly flowers in your garden or yard

Don’t use chemicals and pesticides on your lawn

Become a beekeeper

Boycott Chemical Companies

Let weeds such as dandelions and clover grow in your yard

Host a screening of “Queen of the Sun” for your group

Sign a petition to save the bees: sos-bees.org

Sources:

www.cheerios.com

www.greenpeace.org

www.queenofthesun.com

Thehoneybeeconservancy.org

Always remember to do your own research, find the cause that is important to you and join, post, write, communicate…..make a difference in the world.

Until next week dreamers….

Keep Dreaming

Coleen