Charitable Gift Giving

Bees get kind of a bad rap. While wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and killer (Africanized) bees tend to be aggressive, their distant cousin the honey bee just kind of wants to be left alone, doing their job of going from flower to flower spreading pollen and making honey and wax. In fact, without pollinators like honeybees and bumblebees, flowers would never turn into fruit and vegetables. So it’s not hyberbole to say that we owe our very existence as a species to them.

Contrary to what a lot of people thing, honey bees are not aggressive. They’ll sting if they feel threatened, or especially if they are defending their hive. But if they’re just flying around you trying to figure out if you’re a flower, just close your eyes and wait it out and the bee will figure it out and leave eventually (assuming you’re not sitting on their hive).

Something a lot of people don’t know is that in the winter of 2006-2007, something catastrophic happened. Beekeepers noticed that 30%-90% of the honeybee hives they were maintaining suddenly collapsed. Generally, the queen bee survived, as well as the young bees (brood), and the colonies still maintained honey and pollen at the time of their collapse. But the worker bees just sort of vanished. And without worker bees, eventually the hives were doomed.

This phenomenon is called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and to this date there’s no simple explanation for why it happens. It’s likely a combination of many things–increased use of certain pesticides, introduction of various pathogens, loss of habitat, and other factors. Since 2014, the federal government has funded research. But it’s an uphill battle.

But the most powerful person who can affect change? It’s YOU. If you have a backyard, plant flowers or vegetables to attract bees and butterflies. Or if you can’t, donate to an organization that does. Lobby your local government to plant public gardens that attract pollinators. Discourage the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides that people are using to keep their lawns green and weed-free, but that are deadly to honeybees. And SPREAD THE WORD, just as those honeybees spread pollen.

Here are some amazing gifts that can help.

Honey Bee Enamel Pin ($12.50) – This is a beautiful enamel pin that you can pin onto a shirt, blouse, or bag that’s beautiful but also a conversation starter.

$1 of the proceeds will go to help The Bee Conservancy, which was established in 2009 after the catastrophic collapse to help protect and preserve populations of bees. Visit their site for eye-opening information. For example, did you know that 1 in every three bites of the food you eat are pollinated by bees?

Crochet keychain of a bee ($15.00) – This is one of those oh-so-cute gifts that’ll put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s a crocheted, handmade keychain that’s about 3 inches long. Perfect for pinning onto a purse or backpack.

15% of proceeds goes to the Bee Girl Organization, a non-profit founded by Sarah Red-Laird aimed at educating and inspiring commuities to conserve bees, flowers, and food.

Save the Bees Yoga headband ($12.99) – Want to really show off your love of bees?

Try this Save the Bees headband by the appropriately-named Mandabees, one of the most popular makers of yoga headbands that, in the words of founder Amanda, keep hair back, keep sweat off your face, are oh-so-cute, and which don’t give you a headache.

A portion of proceeds will go to the Cielito Lindo Ranch’s efforts to save honeybees.

Charity Wild Flower Bee Buffet ($5.00) – Here’s a great idea for a gift where not only the proceeds will help save the honeybees, the gift itself will too. It’s a packet of custom blend wildflower seeds that you or your recipient can plant in a yard to attract bees. It’s a way to help restore the habit that was lost with development, as well as provide a little oasis for bees from pesticides.