I have been hearing about colony collapse disorder
since the mid-1980s, when I lived in Tunisia and actually knew some beekeepers.
Their hives were dying, and they had no idea why it was happening.
It’s now a worldwide problem. The European Union is voting
on the subject soon, and I hope they vote sensibly.
Do you realize that our crops – our food sources – almost
entirely depend on bees? Bees are the key to pollination. We farm bees just as
we farm crops like corn and beans, but the bees are not so reliable anymore,
because of this damned colony collapse disorder.
It may be a fungus. It may be the overuse of certain
insecticides. It may be some mysterious illness. It may be Gaia’s revenge on
mankind.
At any rate, the European Union is taking steps by banning
certain pesticides which seem to be implicated in the colony collapses. An
English friend of mine, Oma, recently posted a blog about the movement to ban
these pesticides.
I know what you’re thinking: Who cares about bees?
Answer: if you don’t care about bees, you’d better change
your mind, and fast.
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