Eco Tip Tuesday*: To Bee or Not To Bee?

There is no question.

Photo by Kerilyn Creeger

The honey bee is a vital component to life as we know it here on Earth. Without her, we would be forced to live without strawberries, almonds, avocados, cucumbers, apples, oranges, watermelon, sunflowers, and countless other fruits, vegetables, nuts, and field crops that depend on the honey bee for fertilization. It's hard to fathom, but unless we make some serious changes to our agricultural system, and soon, we may find ourselves eating a diet severely lacking in color.

Back in October of 2006, several commercial beekeepers began reporting losses of 30-90% of their hives. While a small amount of colony loss is to be expected over the winter months, the losses of 2006 were remarkable because of their sheer magnitude. The phenomenon was termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and, by 2008, it was estimated that nearly one-third of all honey bee colonies in the country had vanished. And, by 'vanished', I mean vanished. One day, a seemingly healthy hive full of busy bees; the next, no one left but the queen and a few of her unborn babies. And the weirdest thing of all: no dead bees in sight. They just took off. But why?

Researchers haven't yet been able to pinpoint the cause of CCD. It's becoming clear, however, that there are likely several factors at play, many of which stem from our current agricultural practices.

Some time ago, farms in America were small and diversified: a typical farm may have had a cow or two, maybe a few pigs, some chickens, a vegetable garden, some fruit trees. But agriculture in America today is dominated by monoculture, the practice of producing or growing one single crop (or raising one type of animal) over a wide area. Not only is monoculture extremely harsh on the soil, the practice makes crops far more susceptible to pests and diseases. So, with the rise of monoculture came the rise of wide-spread pesticide use.

We started spraying our food, that we intended to eat, with toxic chemicals (some of which were previously used in warfare!) in order to keep the bugs and diseases at bay. Then someone had the brilliant idea to genetically modify corn and soybean seeds so that the pesticides are actually inside the plants that grow from them, and expressed through the leaves, nectar, or fruit. (Which means we can't even wash the chemicals off our food, YAY! Gee thanks, Monsanto!) These chemicals were tested (by the people making and selling them, by the way) and the levels expressed in the plants are not high enough to kill a bee, but what the scientists failed to research (because they weren't required to) were the sub-lethal effects of these chemicals on bees. It's highly possible that, even if they aren't outright killing the bees, the pesticides could be causing neurological problems, such as disorientation or memory loss, or damage to their nervous system. Furthermore, what are the long-term effects of bees ingesting these chemicals over and over and over, and feeding them to their young?

Beekeepers in France experienced similar colony loss after they began using Monsanto's genetically modified seeds nearly ten years before CCD was discovered in North America. Following the precautionary principle**, the seeds were banned from use in France in February of 2008. Reportedly, the bees bounced back within a year. But the United States government doesn't follow the precautionary principle. Instead, we like to throw any and all chemicals into wide-spread use until something horrible happens that scientists are able to prove is a result of said chemicals. Since scientists haven't been able to scientifically prove that CCD is, in part, caused by Monsanto's seeds, the product remains on the market (and on our grocery store shelves).

The idea of a world lacking in the wide array of fruits, vegetables, and nuts that we've become accustomed to is a scary one, but that is not the main reason that CCD should concern us. The thing we should be most concerned about is the fact that the declining health of the honey bee is an indicator that something terribly wrong is happening to the environment right now. If we don't make changes soon, a lack of fresh fruit and veggies will be the least of our concerns.

So what can we do?

• First off, buy organic whenever possible. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, points out often that one of the most powerful ways we can effect change is by voting with our forks. We get three chances a day (or more, if you're a grazer like me) to let it be known that we don't agree with the state of modern agriculture. Money talks, so make sure your money is saying something you agree with. Feel like organic produce is too pricey for your budget?
• Try shopping at your local farmer's market. The farms that sell goods at open air markets are typically much smaller than the farms from whom large grocery stores buy their produce. The prices are usually quite low, and the produce is the freshest you can get, outside of your own garden. Which brings me to my next tip:
• Plant a garden! You can totally do it! It's a relaxing outdoor activity, doesn't have to cost much, and ensures that you are feeding your family healthy, fresh, delicious food. In addition to fruits and vegetables, plant some flowers. It will add beauty and color to your garden as well as provide essential nutrition for bees. When buying seeds or seedlings, be sure to buy organic, and...
• DON'T use chemical pesticides in your home or garden. Spraying our lawns and gardens with toxic chemicals is simply not necessary and by choosing not to, you are not only helping the planet and the bees, you are making your home a healthier place for your family. There are natural solutions for keeping pests at bay that are very effective and typically cost less than chemical pesticides. Spiders and beneficial insects such as ladybugs and praying mantises can also help a garden to flourish. Visit Earth Easy for more information on natural home and garden pest control.
• Consider becoming an amateur beekeeper. Getting started requires a little bit of equipment, which you can buy or build yourself, and the practice generally requires about an hour of your time each week through the spring, summer, and fall, and almost nothing during the winter months. Bees are fascinating to watch and their presence can help your garden thrive. And don't forget the honey! Although results may vary, one hive can yield between 20 to 50 pounds of the sweet nectar. If you choose to keep bees, please adhere to organic, biodynamic, and holistic beekeeping practices. Visit Beekeeping Naturally for helpful advice from Organic Beekeeper Michael Bush.
• When buying honey, be sure it's organic. And if it's local, all the better! Not only is mass-produced commercial honey typically obtained in ways that are harmful to bees and the environment, these days you can't even be sure that what you are buying is actually honey! Much of what you see on store shelves has been imported from China and is not pure honey but a mix of honey and other ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup. Yuck! Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies sells local honey and, believe you me, it is deeeelish!

For more information on CCD and ways that you can help, check out the excellent documentary The Vanishing of the Bees, now available on Netflix (streaming and DVD) and for purchase from their website.

In closing, I have a final request: please don't be afraid of bees. When they sting you, they die.*** Which means that they're only going to do it as a last resort. Leave them alone, and chances are they'll do the same for you. Do what you can to help them out, but other than that, just let them bee. :)

Thanks for reading, folks! 

*Does it count that I started this post on Tuesday?

**The Precautionary Principle states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action. The principle implies that there is a social responsibility to protect the public from exposure to harm, when scientific investigation has found a plausible risk. These protections can be relaxed only if further scientific findings emerge that provide sound evidence that no harm will result. [Source]

***Hornets and wasps, on the other hand, can sting you multiple times without dying because their stingers are not barbed and are thus not pulled from their bodies.