To bee or not to bee…
“…aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly. But the bumblebee does not know that, so it flies anyways.”
– Mary Kay Ash
Why are pollinating insects so important?
Climate Action North East Managing Director, Sharon Lashley, explains: “Bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects are vital contributors to the beauty of our landscapes, our economy and our £100 billion food industry. The functions performed by pollinating insects is believed to be worth £690 million each year to the UK’s economy alone. The implications of losing this variety of pollinating insects will disrupt the web of life that supports us so it’s vital that we take action now and rewild outdoor areas to introduce safe havens for them.”
It would cost the UK at least £1.8 billion a year to employ people to do the work of these pollinators. Bees do it for free!
Why are they struggling?
Insect numbers around the world are undergoing alarming rates of decline, with bees, ants and beetles disappearing eight times faster than mammals, birds, or reptiles.
James Fearnley, of The BeeArc Project explains: “The economic exploitation of the honeybees has brought them to the brink of destruction despite the fact that they support not just our economic life, but our social and cultural and spiritual lives. It is time to wake up to the wonder that is the honeybee.”
Sharon concludes: “Honeybees are by far the most important pollinator on the planet but over-industrialisation, the destruction of natural habitats, the use of pesticides, and the climate crisis are all forcing their alarming decline.”
This little fella needs an image make-over!
Yes, you might want to think twice next time you want to swat away a wasp or a hornet!
They are extremely important in our environment and face problems similar to those faced by bees and other insects. For example, they are responsible for the yeast we use to make wine, beer, and bread. Wasps and hornets have a yeast in their guts, commonly known as Brewer’s Yeast. When the wasps bite into the grapes still on the vine, they leave some of that yeast behind. Other insects and birds also carry the yeast, but wasps play a special role as they harbour the yeast during winter and can pass it on to their offspring. Brewer’s Yeast is responsible for wine, beer and bread fermentation and wasps also introduce other microorganisms to grapes, which add flavours to wine.
Why should business get involved?
Bee decline is a financial risk for business and, as outlined in The National Pollinator Strategy, their rapidly reducing population will seriously damage the £100 billion food industry making foods, from almonds and vanilla and apples to squashes, more difficult and expensive to grow.
Climate Action North East Managing Director, Sharon Lashley, said: “Environmental impact, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability are important issues for everyone but especially for business. More than ever before, we need to recognise the importance of bees to our economy and to our lives. And we need to turn that into action to ensure they don’t just survive but thrive. We need to use knowledge, connections and collaboration to discover positive and proactive ways that businesses can improve the situation – to the benefit of their own commercial objectives and the economy as a whole.”
Who is Climate Action North East?
Pollinator Parks is the initiative of community interest company Climate Action North East. The company takes action on environmental and climate issues for the benefit of communities and businesses across the North of England. Sharon Lashley says of Pollinator Parks:
“Pollinator Parks is a superb example of small-scale rewilding and demonstrates how we can practically support and care for our wildlife and repair the broken ecosystems. We are proud to help communities, schools and businesses by delivering a wide range of activities around rewilding, climate change, sustainability, outdoor education, and learning. Our team are passionate experts in their field and completely driven to achieve our objectives”
A call to action
We at SEP certainly intend to work with Climate Action North East to put more Pollinator Parks on our Business Park.
Would you like to learn more about Pollinator Parks? Please take a look at this video
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