Our food relies on bees.
Many people do not know that our food depends on bees doing their ‘job.’ It is curious how such little insects are so vital for the balance of the ecosystem.
However, even Einstein once said that if bees would become extinct, then all of us would starve in a couple of years. Many of the world’s crops depend on bees, as they are the top pollinators among butterflies, bats, and other species of birds.
According to Peter Marchetta, a canvasser from Environment New Jersey, an advocacy group funded by citizens, people need to be informed and educated about the correct way to approach bees. Together with his colleagues and Michael Long, the owner of Uriah Creek Apiary, they decided to organize an event that will raise awareness about bees’ real situation.
Therefore, the event is called “To Bee or Not to Bee” and it will consist of a picnic in Buccleuch Park, Environment New Jersey. Participants and organizers will discuss the problems concerning these vital insects.
Furthermore, they wish to convince the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that some pesticides need to be banned as soon as possible in order to protect the bee population.
In other words, people will find out more about types of pesticides that harm bees, such as neonicotinoids, known as neonics. They are similar to nicotine and people use them to deal with pests. However, not only pests are attracted to crops and gardens and but also bees.
It means that honeybees and other species of pollinators die along with parasites leading to a significant imbalance in the environment. Unfortunately, most of us do not know that 90 percent of the source of food in the world is provided by 100 crops. Most importantly, 71 crops out of these 100 are pollinated by bees.
It means that without bees, everyone will starve. According to Colleen McLoughlin, citizen outreach director at Environment New Jersey, many of the fruits and vegetables we eat during summer rely on bees such as lemons, asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, and watermelon.
It is also worth mentioning that bees pollinate alfalfa, which is a primary source of food for dairy cows. In other words, even our milk depends on these little insects. That is why we need to change our perspective and do our best to preserve and encourage the increase of bee population.
Image Source:Pixabay
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