We’ve always had a soft spot for bees. After all, they are responsible for pollinating about 75% of the world’s leading crops, not to mention foraging 90% of the wild flowering plants that make our gardens extra bountiful this time of year.
In celebration of World Bee Day, we spoke with Sarah Red-Laird, the founder of Bee Girl, a nonprofit grassroots organization centered around bee habitat conservation through research, art, and education. What began as an internship at a honey bee lab at the University of Montana, recalls Red-Laird, turned into a decades-long dedication to native bee conservation, regenerative agriculture, and wildlife co-existence that has helped inform environmental policy and raise awareness around mental health in farming. Now, she’s building our next generation of conservationists.
“Bees serve as a symbol of the health of our ecology and our economy,” she says over the phone from southern Oregon, where she lives with her cowboy Corgi, Midgie. “If [bees] are struggling, we’re in trouble, too.” Here, a few ways you can help bees, and the environment, thrive—including picking up the Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm Duo, which directly profits The Bee Girl Organization.
Get to know the bees in your backyard.
Did you know there are over 4,000 native bee species? One of the most identifiable in the hot summer months are 'sweat bees,’ a sage-colored variety about the size of an ant that are attracted to perspiration—meaning they often gather around people. The good news? They are gentle, plus great and efficient pollinators of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Don’t mow or spray your dandelions.
Even if the bottle reads “organic pesticides,” sprays will still kill your bees, Red-Laird promises. There are better ways to create a balanced system in your garden that doesn’t involve toxic chemicals, such as diversifying your soil. "Every soil system is different, so it's about planting plants that will give your soil what it needs, while giving you what you want from your land," she says.
Plant a healthy variety of flowers.
Flowers are a great way to support an ecosystem for bees—even small planters or a window box helps. “A few square feet can make a real difference,” says Red-Laird. Her favorites are sunflowers and cosmos, the low-maintenance daisy-like flowers that come in a variety of colors and sizes.
Visit your local farmer’s market.
When buying locally, not only are you supporting farmers, but also opening up a conversation about pesticides.You can relay what you want—and don’t want—as a conscious consumer. As Red-Laird puts it: “Know where your food comes from, because cheap food comes at a cost, and somebody or something is going to pay for it.” Likely the environment, the farmer, or you and your health.
Donate to grassroots organizations.
Supporting organizations like Bee Girl ensure their important conservation work continues. Red-Laird’s team of five is on the ground working alongside ranchers, farmers, animals, winemakers, universities, government entities, policymakers and other non-profits to better address the issues in agriculture that affect bees, the environment, and humans. And if you’re on the Pacific Northwest, support some of their projects, such as the bee-friendly vineyard, Weisinger Family Winery. Bottom line: make your voice heard.
