Albert Einstein is often quoted in the saying that “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Although this may not necessarily be the case, living life without bees would still be fairly different, which is why we should be worried about the steady and rapid decline of bee populations all over the world. Starting as early as 2006, beekeepers began to notice a decline in the populations of their honeybees. The percentage of bee deaths slowly began to creep above the expected and sustainable 18.7%, and more and more colonies collapse each year. Over the course of 2015, a stunning 42% of U.S. bee colonies have collapsed. Scientists have attributed this massive loss to many different sources ranging all the way from deadly parasites and neonicotinoid-containing pesticides to global warming. However, no matter the reason for the unfortunate deaths of these small pollinators, there is no denying that the population of bees is on a downwards trend and this will have a definite impact on our world.
Bees are responsible for the pollination of 71 out of the 100 major crops on Earth. A world without bees would mean a world without most fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. This leaves us with wind-pollinated crops like wheat, corn, rice, and other grains and grasses. To raise awareness about the declination of bee populations, the Whole Foods Market in University Heights, Rhode Island, temporarily removed all products from their store that are dependent on bee pollination. This meant they had to remove 237 of the 453 products usually stocked on their shelves, a whooping 52% of the products sold at the market.
As mentioned in the video earlier, bees are also responsible for the reproduction of cotton plants, meaning that without them, the cotton and clothing industry would suffer greatly. Aside from the fact that without the help of our little furry yellow and black friends we would have to learn to live without many things, we should also acknowledge the financial aspect of situation. According to a 2014 White House press release, insect pollination annually contributes $24 billion to the US economy, bees accounting for an astonishing 62.5% of that value. This means that the loss of bees would not only result in massive decline of Earth’s beautiful flora and fauna but also in conditions fit for economic downturn.
How Can You Help?
Although the issue can seem quite scary and insurmountable, there are several ways in which you can get involved and contribute to saving the bees:
- Bee Organic: buying organic is one of the easiest ways to support pollinator health and avoid monoculture-based farming practices.
- Bee a Gardener: plant bee-friendly flowers and herbs to provide forage and habitat for bees
- Bee Smart: avoid intensive and chemical pesticides as they cause damage to bee body systems and the ones containing neonicotinoids are actually major culprits in the issue of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
- Bee Supportive: donate to organizations like the Pollinator Partnership or the Natural Resources Defense Council that are dedicated to protecting and promoting pollinators like bees.
- Bee Loud: make your voice heard and fight against companies and policies that affect bees negatively by signing petitions or writing letters to express your opinions
All in all, it’s quite easy to see that the world would be quite a different place without the helpful little bees that keep it spinning. Although the populations of bees are declining, it’s not Armageddon quite yet and there is still time to implement change and make our modern day society a more bee-friendly place.