News — bees

While ago, I was sent this column http://ecosalon.com/behind-the-label-burts-bees/ by an agent provocateur (for good), eco-branding genius and all around one of the coolest people I know, Lisa Borden.

Lisa gamingly asked for my opinion on the content, I was critical of this article suggesting it was myopic and missing the most important point that few seem to touch on. I thought I would share my concerns especially as I see now this article was actually meant to promote Burt’s Bees and Clorox under the guise of balanced reporting.

First of all commercial beekeeping is neither natural nor healthy, and if you care about critter welfare or even give it a thought, you will be sad to learn that these gentle and amazing creatures are quite possibly treated worse than factory farmed cattle (if that is even possible). A fundamental flaw in the conventional beekeeping practice is that the very sustenance (honey) that is required to keep bees healthy is entirely ripped out of their ecosystem and replaced with GMO corn syrup or white (sometime GMO) sugar-water. You may have heard about the antibacterial properties in honey, this store is what the bees need to eat during the long winter months to protect them from the disease. Honey also contains micro-nutrients and important enzymes that allow bees to flourish naturally.

The next big issue is the management of apiary disease, again in my opinion what takes place is another agri-biz solution to another man-made problem. Bees have become increasingly weakened and endangered due to pesticide residues with special mentions to Monsanto and Bayer CropScience (1) with other speculated contributing factors such as pollution, EMF’s and poor commercial hive management. Sulfa compounds and antibiotics are the most notable unnecessary drugs used on the bees namely Sulfathiazole, streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, terramycin, fumagillin.

Another commonly encouraged commercial beekeeping practice was (and still is to a lesser extent) to let the hive die i.e fumigate with calcium cyanide every winter as it was more profitable to take their honey ($300-$400) and buy a new artificially reared hive in the spring ($100-$200). This is the general mindset of industrialized farming. Get as much out of whatever they are farming for the highest profit regardless of the human and environmental health costs.

Lastly, bees are moved around 100’s of KM bi-weekly depending on the flowering crop.

Add up all these factors and scientists and beekeepers wonder why their immune systems are weak and they are stress and malnourished.

Honeybees are considered an indicator species and they are certainly right now reflecting human health and the health of our planet. Skip the urge to buy Burts Bees, if you really like the feel of beeswax on your skin and go to the local farmers market and buy organically and ethically harvested beeswax. You will certainly notice the difference.

If you are like me and are fond of bees in your backyard, plant a few of these and you will be sure to make new furry friends this Spring – fennel, calendula, lemon balm, echinacea, dandelion, sunflower, borage, and lavender.