The honeybee population, and consequently the world’s food supply lies in peril. In 2006 Beekeepers and researchers sounded a nation wide alarm after observing a steep decline in the Honeybee population. Honeybees play an essential role in the agricultural industry and their mysterious die-off could impact our economy as well as our diet. “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on the honeybee to pollinate that food,” states Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation. Tens of billions of bees have been lost so far according to an estimate from the Apiary Inspectors of America; researchers named this epidemic “colony collapse disorder.”
The possible causes of colony collapse disorder range from a variety of ecological factors; a US Department of Agriculture panel concluded that poor nutrition, parasites, pesticides and lack of genetic diversity may all play a role. Researchers believe that human dependence on the tiny yet effective pollinator has lead to the honeybee being both overworked and undernourished.
While researchers scramble to find the causes and the subsequent cures for colony collapse disorder, the question lingers: What can individuals and corporations do to lessen the ecological stresses and our dependence on the honeybee?
The answer: Increase the natural habitat and food supply for the honeybee as well as other pollinators including native bees by planting bee friendly species of plants.
Sprouts!, a unique company that designs and distributes 100% recycled paper filled with easy-to-grow flower seeds feels compelled to do its part in combating colony collapse disorder and encouraging propagation of native bee species. This year, Sprouts! begins its “Bee Kind in 2008” campaign with the introduction of paper containing a special mix of bee friendly flower seeds. Sprouts! founder, Sharon Quercioli says, “When the paper is planted in the earth, the flowers that bloom forth will attract honeybees as well as a variety of native bees. Individuals who plant our bee friendly paper can create a haven of sustainability for a diverse population of pollinators including the vanishing honeybee.”
