Save the Bees!

Seeds are currently unavailable. In the meantime, check out these other great campaigns!:

Help The Nature Conservancy with their Plant a Billion Trees campaign!

For every dollar you donate, they will plant one tree in the Atlantic Forest of South America. No minimum amount is required and all donations are tax deductible.

Click Here (or the green Plant a Billion Trees image above) to learn more and help Save The Trees!

Help Conservation International with their It's Our Ocean campaign!

Now, you have a chance to save the ocean, even if you live miles away from the beach. A $75 donation to this campaign will adopt and protect 1 square mile of ocean in your name.

Click Here (or the It's Our Ocean image above) to learn more and help Save The Seas!

Some of you may be wondering why I want to save the Bees, or how I intend to help them.

How?

I want to help you attract Bees to your garden. The best way to do this is by using plants native to your area. Invasive species can be pretty, but also damaging to native wildlife (both plant and animal). So, here is what I will do:

For every $25 you spend on this site, I will send you 2 free seed packets that include native plants in your area.

Initially, I will only have flowers available. However, I intend to add herbs, fruits and veggies in the future. The seeds you receive will be for plants native to or suitable for your state and climate.

All you have to do is plant and take care of the seeds as necessary.

You get free plants, the Bees get a greater source of food, and everyone is happy.

Now, if you don't want to spend $25 in order to get the free seed packets, you can also buy them individually, for $5 each.

Please note: This offer is currently only available to those who live in the continental US and Canada (sorry to those in Alaska, or Hawaii).

::Note:: The seed packets are not available yet, but will be soon!

Why?

Well, if you've been following environmental news over the last few years, you may have heard of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This strange "disease" basically causes Worker Bees to abandon their colonies, or hives, for no apparent reason. Although the cause is unknown, some extremely likely factors include:

malnutrition
pesticide use
stress due to changes in the environment

Now, believe it or not, a great part of the world is dependent on Bees. And no, they aren't out to get you.

Beehavior

Bees are generally shy creatures. They have a lot of work to do and unless you attack them, or their home, they will not bother you. Speaking from personal experience, I take a lot of macro (close-up) photos of Bees. I am literally less than 3 inches away from them with my camera. Sometimes they fly away from me, but they never sting me, and I don't wear any bug spray or protective gear of any kind.

Bees collect nectar and pollen. These are used to make beeswax and honey, which are used in food, cosmetics, and candles (among other things). However, their work doesn't stop there. When they gather pollen (the equivalent of plant sperm), it will sometimes rub off on other plants. This leads to pollination (or cross-pollination), which is necessary for plants to reproduce. Yes, this means that Bees help your garden flowers grow, but did you know they also help your food grow?

Your Food Depends on Bees

Bees are the main pollinator species for more than 30% of crops around the world. So, a decline in Bees will result in a decline of food. In fact, it already has. According to a survey conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Bee colonies in the US have already declined by 33.8%. In other words, 1/3rd of the US Honey Bee population has vanished. Imagine this decline on a global scale. Now imagine a world without these crops that depend on Bee pollination:

Alfalfa, Almond, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Bee Balm, Berry, Broccoli, Brussel Sprout, Buckwheat, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherry, Chestnut, Chinese Cabbage, Chives, Citrus, Clover, Coconut, Collard, Cotton, Cucumber, Dill, Eggplant, Fennel, Flax, Garlic, Kale, Kiwi, Kohlrabi, Lavender, Leek, Lima Beans, Macadamia, Mango, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard, Onion, Oregano, Parsley, Passion Fruit, Peach, Pear, Pepper, Persimmon, Plum, Prune, Pumpkin, Radish, Rosemary, Rutabaga, Safflower, Sage, Soybeans, Squash, Sunflower, Turnip, Watermelon

That is the effect of Colony Collapse Disorder. As Bees continue to disappear, so will those crops. And as crops disappear at a greater rate, so will animals.

It all seems rather bleak right now, but there is a very simple thing you can do: Grow plants in your own yard (or garden, field, etc.) that attract Bees and encourage pollination. I would recommend using organic methods and to avoid pesticides at all costs. If you have issues with pests or fungi, the internet is a great source to find organic methods of pest control. I also suggest reading some books on the matter.