Sarasota Green Group Shares the Importance of Bee Conservation with Local Classrooms
Bee Smart School Gardening Kit
Image: Courtesy Photo
According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, there are about 1,200 bees at risk for extinction, and two bee species have been declared endangered. And of course, Albert Einstein famously said that if bees die out, humans will eventually follow.An article by the foundation School of Bees also mentioned Albert Einstein, who said if bees die out, humans will eventually follow after.
To help local bees, the Sarasota Green Group has collaborated with the Pollinator Partnership, the world's largest 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting pollinators, to create an interactive gardening kit for schools in Sarasota, North Port and Tampa.
The Bee Smart School Gardening Kits provide teachers nationwide with a curriculum, activities and materials to educate students in grades 3 to 6 about pollinator conservation in a fun and and engaging way. The kit includes lesson plans, reproducible handouts and gardening materials.
Schools in Sarasota County are already using the kits, including Booker Elementary, Alta Vista Elementary, Gulf Gate Elementary and Pine View School.
A Cranberry Elementary teacher and students show off their Bee Smart Garden Kit
Image: Courtesy Photo
Even if you're not a teacher, you can still purchase these kits as gifts for your kids or grandkids and help them learn about the importance of bees. Five percent of all the brand's profits go toward the Pollinator Partnership to support the conservation of bees and other pollinators.
Chi Chi Rodriquez Academy students with their Bee Smart Garden Kit
Image: Chi Chi Rodriquez Academy
There are also important human health benefits to keeping bees around. Bees are responsible for 85 percent of all crops for humans, and honeybees, in particular, make honey and wax that's incorporated into foods as a substitute for high fructose corn syrup. Honey is also used in beauty products to revitalize skin and lips, and contains propolis—an anti-bacterial agent to fight infections.
If you want to learn more about beekeeping and the health and environmental benefits of keeping bees around, you can participate in the Suncoast Beekeeper's Association's monthly learning workdays. Learn from knowledgeable beekeepers about harvesting honey, using bee hives to pollinate your garden and more.
For more information about Earth's Ally or the Bee Smart School Gardening Kits click here.
