Bees are the most critical pollinators in the ecosystem; they feed 90 percent of the world. Without bees, how would the ecosystem change? 

“We may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all of the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain, which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion.” BBC Earth’s Unplugged Maddie Moate said.

Supermarkets would end up much more limited to the amounts of fruits and vegetables they have in stock. Without bees, half the produce would be gone (Medina 6).

On a technical note, honey bees are not on the endangered list but they are projected to soon be extinct (Hageman 3). Without any immediate changes, the honey bee population will go extinct within the next couple of decades.

Humans are largely responsible for the decline in the bee population due to pesticides and habitat loss. In the past 61 years, honey bee hives have gone from 6 million to 2.4 million which is a 60 percent decline (Greenpeace 4).

With the community’s and surrounding areas’ help, people can start to make a difference. Here are some ways to help:

1. Stop using pesticides, fungicides and herbicides on plants. These products contaminate the plants bees land on and will likely kill them.
2. Shop local, buying raw honey from local beekeepers is much safer than buying it from the supermarket since it has fewer additives and preservatives. People can support their community by doing this and it ensures that honey comes from a safe place for bees.
3. Put bee-friendly plants, like lavender and rosemary, in home gardens, this provides a great source of nectar and pollen.
4. Install small water basins during the summer for bees, they are hard workers and become tired, bees enjoy something nice to drink on a hot day.
5. Educate others about bees. They are unharmful, the more understoodod, the more others respect them.
6. Sign petitions to ban pesticides, make more safe havens and support beekeepers.

Petition: SAVE THE BEES: ban the use of chemical pesticides in public spaces & plant flowers instead https://bit.ly/2I8350x

Greenpeace: https://bit.ly/3oYeRM3

Markie Hageman: https://bit.ly/3oWOA0L