Recent Green Weeks:
September 5:
Cook More Efficiently
August 29:
Use Cold Water for Laundry
August 22:
Find New Uses for Old Phones
August 8:
"Bee" Kind to Pollinators: Limit or Avoid Pesticide Use
August 1:
Reduce Waste: End Junk Mail!
July 25:
Encourage Pollination: Help Bees!
July 18:
Use Less Oil: Walk or Bike at Least Once this Week Instead of Driving
July 11:
Water Lawns and Outdoor Plants in the Morning or Evening Only
July 4:
Practice Safe Souvenir Buying
June 20:
Reuse Paper Scraps
June 13:
Safely Dispose of Hazardous Wastes
June 6:
Give New Life to Old Stuff
May 30:
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners
May 23:
Find Ways to Consume Less
May 16:
Reuse your food scraps and yard waste: make compost!
May 9:
Make Sure Your Seafood's Sustainable
May 2:
Use a Low Flow Showerhead
April 25:
Reduce Weight in your Vehicle
April 18:
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
April 11:
Switch to Fluorescent Bulbs
April 4:
Buy in Bulk
March 28:
Unplug Your Appliances When They're Not in Use!
March 21:
Turn Off Your Engine Instead of Idling Your Car
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Encourage Pollination: Help Bees!
What to do:
If you have a garden, think of pollinators as you plant. Include blooming species, especially native plants, that attract and nourish bees. For tips on designing gardens to attract pollinators, as well as a list of suggested plants, visit the National Academies' Plants for Pollinators page.
You can even provide homes for bees in your yard with Nests for Native Bees .
Even without a garden or yard, you can still contribute to the effort to help bees. You can sign up to observe bee populations for scientists who research bees. For example, the Xerces Society's Bumble Bee Conservation Page asks readers to report sightings of certain types of bees.
Why it Helps the Earth:
Pollinators like bees play an important role in ecosystems: plants rely on them to flourish, and birds and animals rely on the plants. Bee populations in the US are in decline due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which scientists are working to understand and prevent.
What the Research Says:
The US Department of Agriculture provides a page with links to various conservation programs for bees and other pollinators.
For information on Colony Collapse Disorder, including research and reports, visit Mid-Altlantic Apiculture's page on CCD. Links to this site, as well as to many others, are included on The USDA's website .
Why it Helps You:
Bees play an important role in our food chain—whether or not you like honey! According to the Xerces society, as many as two thirds of the world’s food crops rely on pollinators like bees.
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Last Revision: July 26, 2010