10 Practical Things You Can Do To Help Save The Bees

In case you’ve somehow missed it: The bees are dying and yes, it’s something we should all care a lot about, because bees are IMPORTANT.

We have bees to thank for around one-third of the world’s food supply, including avocados, almonds, onions, and a whole lot of fruits and vegetables that would be extremely missed if they were to disappear.

But in the past year alone, US beekeepers have reported that 40% of their hives have died unexpectedly, possibly partly due to erratic weather conditions that are a result of climate change. Other threats to bee populations include habitat loss, pesticides and herbicides, monoculture (where farmers only grow a single crop at a time), and disease.

While it’s good to know that a decline in bees populations is troubling, it’s even better to know how you can actually make a difference to this pretty terrifying situation. So, I spoke to James C. Nieh, professor of ecology, behavior, and evolution at UCSD, and Amanda Shaw, beekeeper at Waggle Works, about what we can do to help save the bees.

1. Plant as many native flowers in your yard or garden as possible.

“Native plants are generally easier to grow because they’re acclimated to that specific climate. They are also what the bees native to that area were designed to pollinate! Bees need good nutrition, and having a variety of forage that includes native plants is a great way to provide that for them,” said Shaw.