Why Bee-Friendly?

For almost a decade, honeybee disappearance has been big in the news.  When Colony Collapse disorder (CCD) hits, honeybee hives are basically ghost towns.  And it rightfully has farmers scared: Much of our food supply relies on honeybee pollination to be successful.  Native bees have been called into action to help pollinate, but their numbers have been declining too. 

You're likely not a farmer and you might not even like honey.  But in the short and long term, taking care of our bees means taking care of you and your family. 

 The Short (Term) of It

1. Honey comes from honeybees
2. You eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries (or animals that eat those things) - Many of these require pollination to fruit or seed
3. You grow vegetables, fruits, nuts, or berries - Zucchini, pumpkin, watermelon need pollination to fruit and you get much better yields when raspberries, cherries, plums, blueberries, and apples are pollinated (imagine hand pollinating all those yourself!)

The Long (Term) 

1. Things (i.e. pesticides) that harm bees have been linked to harming birds
2. Things (i.e. pesticides) that can harm birds can harm pets and people (it's often just a matter of dosage)

(Warning: Mixed Metaphors ahead)

Take bees as your canary in the coal mine: be friendly to bees to be friendly to yourself.