This topic has come up many times in the past year, so I'll just share in a nutshell what I've learned. The "mysterious" demise of honeybees seems to be of concern, since we rely on them for so many things. There are so many plants that rely on bee pollination, and so not only will we not have enough honey to go around (that in itself is bad enough for me!), but most plants and flowers rely on bee pollination to reproduce.First, there was an article in the Mother Earth News, wondering what is causing it.
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/Colony-Collapse-Pesticides-Bees.aspx)
They elude to pesticides (bug killers), herbicides (weed killers) and even cell phone use (the waves in the air mess up the bees navigation) and many other causes that we've heard about perhaps.
The answer that I have received (which also makes the most sense to me, although the other answers likely contribute to the problem as well) is from my cousin T's husband W, who is a beekeeper in Austria. He is not just "a beekeeper". He has the largest bee farm in Austria, and is the head of the European Union of Beekeepers. I figure he probably knows what he's talking about.
He says that the bees are dying because of all the genetically engineered crops in the US. In Austria they don't allow any genetically modified crops (and have to pay a tariff to Europe because of this), but they also are one of the few industrialized countries that don't have the bee demise problem.
The genetically altered crops don't provide the bees with the proper nutrition, leaving them weak and susceptible to disease, mites, and other things that kill them. The government denies this, because that would mean subsidies would change, and they would lose profits. Thirteen countries grew genetically-engineered crops commercially in 2000, and of these, the U.S. produced the majority. In 2000, 68% of all GM crops were grown by U.S. farmers. In comparison, Argentina, Canada and China produced only 23%, 7% and 1%, respectively. Other countries that grew commercial GM crops in 2000 are Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay. From a US statistics via http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
What does this mean for us, the consumer? Don't buy anything genetically modified. Research your food sources. One company that I love that does not buy any grains that are altered is Bob's Red Mill. Support local companies that promote healthy farming practices. Organic is better, because then you aren't supporting the use of pesticides, herbicides or growth hormones (more in animal products). Yes, I know it costs more. Lots more. But, the only way to get the price lower, is to demand that grocers carry organic, and give them your support. One site I read said that if we all didn't buy one new electronic gadget per year, we could afford to buy organic food for our families. Probably true.
Some of you may have watched the movie Food, Inc. I have not seen it myself, but have read reviews, and heard about it from my chiropractor as well as friends. This may help get the word out of how important it is for the health of our country to make healthy choices available (rather than lining the coffers of a few select companies, of which profit is the main goal)
http://www.foodincmovie.com/
So, that's all for today. While I'm writing this, my boys are listening to an audiobook on the saguaro cactus called the Cactus Cafe, and it just got done saying how the bees pollinate the saguaro fruit, to produce new cactus. "and if there are no bees, there are no new cacti" A sad state this world will come to if we (the consumer) don't put our foot down and demand quality over quantity or price.
From the Food, Inc. website, here's what we can do:
Learn more about these issues and how you can take action on Takepart.com
1. Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.
You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).
2. Eat at home instead of eating out.
Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.
3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.
Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.
4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.
Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.
An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals (milk is one of the highest, so to start buying organic, start with milk. You can't "wash" milk, like you can fruits and veggies).
5. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.
6. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.
Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
7. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.
8. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.
Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.
9. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.
10. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.
May I caution you in making any of these transitions in your daily life. Only tackle one item at a time, and don't try something new until you've mastered the previous change. With any lifestyle changes, a slow transition makes everyone happier. Try a new recipe or two, but don't feel overwhelmed to change everything all at once. Then it'll end up fad-ish, and likely not last (just like a fad diet or exercise plan). Take it slow, and change your whole way of thinking slowly over time.
