Bamboo · Kids activities ·Mar 23, 2023

6 Things We Can Do From Home to Save the Bees

Here at Birdie Bean we have two very important collections out right now – our bumbling bees and fabulous fishes. We want these prints especially to bring awareness to two huge issues facing our planet right now – a dying bee population and threatened oceans.

We know the importance of taking care of our planet, and our passion for the planet is one of the reasons we started using bamboo, one of the most sustainable sources of materials for clothing. It’s also why we have such stretchable material, to help your baby's clothes grow with them, so you have to buy fewer sizes as they grow so quickly.

With these two beautiful new collections out – we thought we’d take a minute to share with you how you can teach your kids about saving our oceans and bees!

How We Can Conserve Our Dying Bee Population

Bees are a crucial part of our ecosystem, but their populations have been declining at an alarming rate in the past few years. As pollinators, bees are essential to the production of the foods we eat, including fruits, vegetables and nuts. Without bees, our food supply would be severely impacted, leading to devastating consequences for both us and our environment. That’s why today we’re going to explore the importance of bees, the reasons behind their declining populations and what we can do to save them.

Why Bees are Important

Bees play an important role in pollination, which is the process of transferring pollen from one part of a flower, to the other part. The result? Seeds and fruits!

Approximately 75% of all food crops worldwide rely on pollination by bees and other pollinators. Crops like almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash and strawberries, just to name a few.

Besides how important they are to our food production, bees and also essential to our ecosystems. By pollinating wildflowers, bees help to maintain a vast biodiversity in our environments. This helps to provide food for other wildlife as well. They also provide honey and beeswax which we use in all industries.

Reasons for the Decline in Bee Populations

You might be wondering why we’re seeing such a decline in bee populations. One of the main reasons is habitat loss, bees rely on flowers and other plants for food and building their hives. Widespread use of pesticides and herbicides has become a significant factor in the decline of bee populations. These chemicals are toxic to bees, leading to weakened immune systems, reproductive problems and even death.

Climate change is also affecting our precious bee population. Climate change affects the timing of flowering and with that, the availability of food for bees. As temperatures rise, plants may bloom earlier or later than usual, causing mismatches in timing between bees and the flowers they pollinate.

6 Things We Can do to Save the Bees

There are several things we can do to help save the bees!

1. Say no to pesticides

The biggest and perhaps most important thing we can do is reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, which are harmful to the health of bees. This is an easy swap to make in your garden at home, you can use compost to help keep pests like ladybugs away. You can also support local farmers who are using sustainable farming practices and boycott large corporations that aren’t supporting healthy bee agriculture.

2. Plant a bee-friendly garden

At home we can also plant bee-friendly gardens! You can do this by planting a variety of flowers that bloom at different times of the year, providing nesting sites, and avoiding the use of chemicals.

This can be a really fun activity for the whole family, and it can be a great opportunity to teach your children about bee safety. Remind them that bees don’t want to hurt them, and that if they hold really still when a bee lands on them, it will eventually learn they’re not a flower, and fly away!

3. Create a bee bath

Bees get thirsty! In fact, one of the reasons they land on us is when they’re looking for water. To help the bees near your home, build a bee bath. All you have to do is fill a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they break the water’s surface. This way bees can land on the stones and pebbles to enjoy a long, refreshing drink. What a fun activity to do with your Birdies!

4. Plant trees for the bees

Bees get most of their nectar from trees! When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds of thousands of blossoms for bees to get food from. Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but also essential for their habitat. Tree leaves and resin provide bees with nesting materials. And natural wood cavities make excellent shelters. You can also help create new bee habitats by caring for trees and joining tree-planting parties in your area.

5. Teach your kids about bees

Our kids are quite literally our futures. It’s important to teach them to be stewards of the earth. The best thing you can do is lead by example, and teach your children about the importance of bees, and what they can do to protect bees. You can find free resources to help get your kids buzzed about bees → here.

6. Support organizations

Lastly, we can support organizations that are working to save the bees. Have a look at Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the Pollinator Partnership. These organizations are dedicated to promoting the health of pollinators and working towards a sustainable future for bees and other vital species.

Bees are such an important part of our ecosystems and food supply, but their populations have been declining at an alarming rate. We can all help to save the bees by reducing our use of pesticides, planting bee friendly gardens, creating habitats for bees and supporting organizations that are working towards a sustainable future.

You can take action now, and together we can all help to ensure the health and well-being of bees for generations to come.

Birdie Bean is proud to choose bamboo as our source of materials for its lack of pesticides and how quickly it’s able to regenerate an ecosystem. And you have all been buzzing about our cute new beehives launch. Shop Bees and Beehives from Birdie Bean to help support our love of this fuzzy, flying friend!

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