Save the Honey Bees

More than one in three honey-bee colonies in the U.S. have mysteriously died over the last three years; a staggering phenomenon scientists have named Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD.

Because honey bee pollination is required to produce one-third of all the natural foods we eat, honey bees play a critical role in ensuring we have enough food to feed our growing population. Therefore, we must do our part to solve this dire puzzle threatening our food supply and stumping scientists from around the world.

Why hasn’t the cause of CCD been identified? Three basic factors are hampering research into the crisis: lack of awareness among the general public, lack of action aimed at alleviating the problem, and lack of funding to determine the root cause and address much-needed solutions.

A recent study revealed that only a little more than half of consumers are aware of the crisis. And only one in six is aware of something specific that they can do to help the honey bees.

Funding on the scale required to seriously tackle this issue also remains elusive. The Farm Bill approved by Congress last year included a provision to fund more research, yet Congress has not yet allocated the money, putting the allocation in question. In the meantime, bees continue to die by the billions.

Due to the severity of this crisis, everyone should find a way to become a bee crusader in 2009. Do your part to help save the honey bees. Here’s how you can make a difference:

1. Create a bee friendly garden with plants that attract honey bees. Select a plant with a long growing season or a group of plants that together will offer flowers from spring through fall. A great resource for information can be found at www.helpthehoneybees.com, or from the horticulturalist at your local plant nursery.
2. Avoid insecticides in your garden. Instead, promote beneficial insects in your garden – bugs that will happily eat the bad bugs chomping on your plants. A comprehensive resource for information is www.ipm.u cdavis.edu/ and http://horticulture.psu.edu/extension/mg
3. Buy products like Haagen-Dazs® bee-built icecream that donate a portion of their sale proceeds toward helping the honey bees.
4. Tell a friend – The honey bee disappearance is already having an effect on the world’s most beloved foods. However, many people have yet to learn about this issue and how they can help. Digg this post or visit www.helpthehoneybees.com to send a Bee-Mail or to create your own animated honey bee to help spread the words.

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