BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

The power of pollinators

By Gavin Yue, age 14 | December 27, 2023

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BEE AWARE Gavin Yue, an eighth grader at River Oaks Baptist School, was motivated to share information about bee conservation after learning about it as a member of the Houston Zoo's Zoo Crew.

The use of single-use plastics and pesticides may be convenient, but their aftereffects aren’t. Mainly, the use of plastics and pesticides destroys honey-bee hives across the world due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Although honey bees seem to be a small part of society, they play extremely crucial roles in our ecosystem and economy. Pollinators across the world produce 1/3 of the world’s food supply, which honey bees are 80 percent responsible for. Along with this, 1/3 of the country’s honey-bee hives have already collapsed. The result is a much smaller food supply and looming hyper-inflation. Honey bees are also responsible for 15 billion dollars’ worth of crops and vegetables in the U.S. The ecosystem of many plants and animals are also disturbed by a diminishing amount of food to sustain themselves.

I became interested in this predicament due to the horrible effects it has on the ecosystem and economy. Saving honey bees not only saves animals around the world, but also saves money for everyday people as well.

There are multiple ways we can save honey bees:

1. Pesticide Reduction: Minimize the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been associated with bee health problems. Neonicotinoid pesticides are front runners in destroying honey-bee hives across the world. Several kinds of neonicotinoid pesticides have been banned in the European Union due to their detrimental effects on our environment.

2. Promote Organic Farming: Buying organic food products can also save the environment because you are promoting organic farming. An added plus is that you can control the harmful chemicals that enter your body when pesticides are used.

3. Plant a Garden: Planting a garden creates a habitat for honey bees in your community. Along with that, planting a variety of plants not only creates a stunning array of colors, but also allows honey bees to have varying sources of nectar and pollen year long.

Save honey bees today! Any effort will help honey bees thrive in their environment. At the very least, try to use less pesticides and help promote organic farming.

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