I recently signed the “Save Bees From Killer Pesticides” Greenpeace petition and am urging everyone to sign it too!
This issue is pretty close to my heart, as whilst undertaking my MA in Ethical Fashion, my mum told me about a friend of hers who suffered from pesticide poisoning from organophosphates which were commonly used for sheep dipping in the UK during the 1980’s.
As part of my MA research, I also read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, published in 1962, which horrified me at the time. In the book Carson vividly describes the eerie silence of her surroundings and birds literally dropping from the sky due to the widespread use of pesticides in the 1960’s.
“It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh.”
Today Silent Spring is recognized as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, famed for exposing the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides and creating a new public awareness of the environment which led to changes in government and inspired the ecological movement.
The problem with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers is that they are known to be harmful for the environment and the people who interact with them. According to the World Health Organization, 20,000 deaths result from pesticide poisoning in third world countries each year and death by starvation is also alarmingly prevalent. Pan UK estimate that 200,000 cotton farmers commit suicide annually due to spiralling debts incurred from buying pesticides and a further 1,000,000 people a year suffer from long-term pesticide poisoning.
The Greenpeace petition is putting pressure on the government, as promises made in 2017 to ban bee-killing pesticides in the UK are being rolled back as Boris Johnson’s government has approved bee-killing neonicotinoids for use in UK fields.
Government officials claim that neonicotinoids are sanctioned only for “emergency use”, however approving them this year would clear a pathway for them to be used again and again.
Why should we "BEE" concerned?
A study from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) published in the journal Science found that neonicotinoids pesticides can cause harm to bees and can reduce the reproductive success of three different bee species – honey bees, bumblebees and the red mason bee.
In a survey conducted by Penn State in 2008, on the effects of pesticides on bees, it found unsettling results about the direct effect pesticides were having on pollinators:
“We have found high levels of pesticides in the wax, in the pollen, and in the bees themselves – beyond the level that was expected when the chemicals were introduced and approved for use”DR maryann frazer (spivak, 2015).
What is additionally concerning is that if bees are full of pesticides, then we could BEE too. As about 96% of our food is grown using conventional agricultural methods, then it goes without saying that humans are consuming pesticides as well. So how much will it take before pesticides start to affect us as well as BEES?
The Humble Bumble
In the UK we have 25 native species of bumble bee. There are 35 species of bees under threat of extinction in the UK, three species that have become extinct already, two which are critically endangered and many more which are seriously declining in numbers due to overuse of pesticides, habitat loss, and a number of devastating diseases.
It’s no secret that Britain’s bees are in trouble. Bees are vital as they are the world’s most important pollinator of food crops. There are around 70 crops in the UK that depend on or benefit from bee pollination and it is estimated that a third of the food that we consume daily relies on pollination by bees; many plants would not be able to fertilise without bees and other pollinators such as butterflies, moths and other insects.
The Honey BEE
The honey bee plays an essential role in pollination of flowers, nuts, seeds and, beans as well as commercial fruit and vegetable crops such as celery, squash, sunflowers for oil, citrus fruit, peaches, kiwis, cherries, cranberries, melons and blueberries and are estimated to provide billions of dollars’ worth of pollination services to farmers worldwide. There are 39 commercial crops reliant on bees in total; some crops such as broccoli, asparagus and cucumber rely solely on the pollination of bees, as do apricots, strawberries, apples, tomatoes and almonds and they also play a significant role in the pollination of other important crops such as cotton and flax and clover and alfalfa, which are fed to cattle, so they are important for the textile, meat and dairy industries too.
“Honeybees in many parts of the world are suffering a catastrophic decline, variously blamed on pesticides, mites, viruses or fungus.
In 2015 US watchdogs reported that US beekeepers had lost 42% of their colonies from the previous year, a level deemed too high to be sustainable.
Agence France-Presse, The GUARDIAN
BEES carry the weight of the world on their backs, without bees, we would have ceased to exist long ago, not only do they pollinate our food crops but they also pollinate many of the trees and flowers that provide habitats for wildlife. Research into honey bees predicts environmental collapse should they become extinct as they an integral part of most ecosystems, without them our options for nourishment would also be seriously limited. There are also dozens of species of solitary bees that have evolved to pollinate a single type of plant and coexisting in unison, and with devotion to that plant, without them the plant would cease to reproduce and become extinct.
In addition to pollination, there are also a number of other valuable non-food products produced by the honey bee, such as beeswax used in cleaning and beauty products, a huge range of manufactured food products made from honey as well as BEE glue and Royal Jelly.
Other BEnefits
Honey bees have the distinction of being the only insect that produces a food, honey, which can be consumed by humans, which starts as flower nectar, that gets broken down into simple sugars stored in honeycomb inside the hive. The design of the honeycomb and constant fanning of the bees’ wings causes evaporation, creating sweet liquid honey, which can be harvested up to four times a year.
Honey has been used in medicine for over 5,000 years; modern medical science has managed to find uses for honey in chronic wound management and combating infection due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. A study in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases showed that Manuka honey, can help prevent the bacteria Clostridium difficile from settling in the body. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends honey as a natural cough remedy and it is believed that consuming local raw honey helps with seasonal allergies, due to repeated exposure to the pollen in the local area.
Produced without chemicals and human interference, honey is also a healthier substitute for over refined and processed sugar in the diet, to sweeten food and drinks without the negative health impact of added sugars. Honey is known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and soothing effects and is made up of glucose, fructose, and minerals, such as iron, calcium, phosphate, sodium chloride, potassium, and magnesium. It has been used as a facial revitalizer for hundreds of years; its slightly acidic pH level helps prevent the growth of bacteria, while its antioxidant elements clean up free radicals that are linked to diseases. Honey is also believed to clear the skin and soften wrinkles and practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have used honey as a remedy for everything from stress to bad breath.
propolis / BEE glue
Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture collected from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources by honeybees. It is used by bees as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive and to strengthen combs of hives, as well as to embalm dead invaders and to protect themselves from bacteria and fungi.
Propolis is a sticky, greenish-brown mass with a slight aromatic odour which has been used as a medicinal agent since ancient times for its natural anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties, as it exhibits antimicrobial action against gram-positive bacteria, yeasts, and some viruses. propolis is thought to have a role in reducing tooth decay and oral ulcers and in promoting the health of injured teeth and is therefore commonly used in oral and dental preparation. In addition, propolis is said to possess local anaesthetic and antiulcer properties and is used internally and externally to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi, to lower blood pressure and strengthen the immune system and comes in capsule form, as a medicinal ointment, cream or herbal drink.
ROYAL JELLY
Probably the most valuable bee product is royal jelly produced from honeybeesby incomplete digestion of honey and pollen. It can only be produced by young worker bees and is a milky-white secretion to induce the superior growth and development of the queen bee. Royal jelly is the principal food of the honeybee queen which gives her a life expectancy 50 times longer than her colony. For this reason, the queen bee is a symbol of vitality which has led to the assumption that ingestion of royal jelly will do as much for humans as it does for bees!
Royal Jelly is used in the cosmetics industry as well as the medical industry as a natural remedy for viral infections, as an alternative medicine in treating menopausal symptoms and in some countries in Europe and Asia, royal jelly has been promoted for its ability to improve fertility and enhance longevity.
Royal jelly has been sold as a skin tonic and hair growth stimulant and other uses not proven with research have included treating high cholesterol, diabetic foot ulcers, stomach ulcer, pancreatitis, liver or kidney disease, asthma, skin disorders, and many other conditions.
BEES Wax
Another bee product is beeswax, which is primarily used by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries as a natural ingredient. Like honey, beeswax has healing and anti-inflammatory properties and is an excellent emollient, which is why it is used in lip balm, lip gloss, hand creams, salves, astringents, masks, facials, soaps, and moisturizers; and in cosmetics for making all types of skin products as well as lip liner, eye shadow, blusher, andeye liner. It is also an important ingredient in moustache wax and hair pomades, in order to make hair look sleek and shiny.
Beeswax is a valuable raw material that can be used to make beeswax candles with their pleasant aroma and can be found in a wide range of products from furniture wax to chewing gum, and the waxy coating on rounds of cheese.
More recently beeswax has been used as an eco-friendly reusable wax alternative to plastic bags, single use cling film or tin foil. The natural antibacterial properties of beeswax keeps food fresher than plastics therefore reducing food waste and can be used to wrap food, or to cover bowls. Beeswax food wraps are flexible and adhesive and can be simply scrunched into place to mould and seal around food and bowls, activated through the warmth of your hands.
SUZSTAINABLE BEESWAX WRAPS
I have been experimenting with making handmade beeswax wraps, which are now available here. They are suitable for freezing and easy to clean using cool water and mild dish soap and then left to air dry. With good care and storage, beeswax wraps can be reused for up to a year.
BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE – My beeswax wraps are 100% sustainable and are made with all natural and biodegradable ingredients including beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin. They are 100% biodegradable and can be composted at home. Not suitable for Vegans.
LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE – My wraps are BPA and chemical free. They help protect your family’s health, keep food hygienic & fresh for a longer time; Non-toxic and antifungal, also the combination of beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil makes a super effective and naturally antibacterial wrap.
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – My Beeswax Wraps are made from high quality materials. The cotton has been reclaimed from my mum’s collection of quilting fabrics and each set come in a range of three coordinating prints. If you don’t LOVE my wraps please return within 30 days for a refund. Now let’s get wrapping!
HOW TO TAKE ACTION
It cannot be denied that BEES are invaluable for so many different reasons. If the bees are dying, we need to BEE doing something about it.
The good news is, there are changes we can all make to help support our incredible bees.
Sign the “Save Bees From Killer Pesticides” Greenpeace petition.
Create a buzz in your garden by planting a variety of bee-friendly plants, especially those native to the UK: Common poppy, Evergreen clematis, Foxglove, Teasel or Nasturtium which will provide plenty of food for bees, helping your local pollinators thrive throughout the seasons.
Bees love herbs too and the top bee-friendly herbs include: Bronze Fennel, Green Coriander Seed, Chive Flowers, Lemon Thyme and Basil and are easy to grow at home.
Consider switching just some of your shopping to organic items, as this can really help to make positive changes within our food and farming systems; on average, plant, insect and bird life is 50% more abundant on organic farms. Look for the Soil Association logo on your weekly shop and choose bee-friendly food.
Buy a pair of ‘Save The Bees’ Bamboo Socks
These Bamboo Socks from Kindpreneurs help save BEES as 10% of the profits from the purchase of these socks will be donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Funky, colourful BEE design socks made from 85% bamboo, 13% nylon and 2% elastane. Recyclable and plastic-free packaging.
Also available from Kindpreneurs is a Bee Kind Honeycomb T shirt made from 100% recycled polyester with illustration by Hazel Dawn. Vegan approved.
Our individual actions all add up, and by even taking small steps towards farming, growing and eating in more sustainable ways, we can create a brighter future for bees, one where nature-friendly habitat is plentiful, and farmers aren’t reliant on pesticides to control pests.
Find out how you can help protect bees:
For more information about bee issues in Europe, researchers and regulators, as well as organisations that play a role in regulating pesticide use, monitoring bee populations, or investigating the causes of bee diseases.
Thank you so much Suzanne for this super interesting and informative Bee article! I found it fascinating! Many people have no idea the dramatic affect reducing populations of bee’s is having, thank you for jam packing this with so much useful info and facts!
Also a huge thank you for supporting our KINDpreneurs by feature Lucy’s Bamboo Bee Socks, I love how she donates 10% of profits to helping the endangered animal on her socks.
Your Beeswax wraps are super pretty! xx .
Dear Karen – thank you for the lovely feedback and for allowing me to feature KINDpreneurs in my blog. So happy to worth with you to help save BEES.xx