This Valentine’s Day you can let your love grow and even spread the love to help out our fuzzy friends – the bees.
When people think about bee-friendly gifts they may jump to beeswax candles and honey. While these gifts may be sweet, we’ve compiled a list of eight buzzworthy gifts that can say bee mine while also helping save our bees and pollinators.
This legislative session, Environment Colorado is calling on state legislators to save the bees by restricting the sale of neonics. Sign the petition to save the bees!
Build pollinator-friendly habitats
Safe pollinator habitats continue to shrink as native vegetation is lost to roads, lawns, crops, non-native gardens, and pesticide use. To help conserve pollinators we need to ensure they have access to native plants and water, and stop using dangerous, bee-killing pesticides, like neonics, so they can get the nutrition and shelter they need to survive.
Here are 8 great ideas
1. Valentine's cards with seed paper: Let your love bloom
Every Valentine’s gift begins with a Valentine of course. Opt for a card made from seed paper so you can let your love and bee habitats bloom. Etsy as well as local gift shops and other retailers have many great options. You can also make your own seed paper. Bonus points if the card has a fun bee pun!
2. Flowering potted plants: Grow your love for months to come
Everyone knows that flowers are a staple on Valentine’s Day. Why not go for an option that will let your love grow for months to come?
4. Build a bee house: Create something bee-autiful together
For those of you looking for a fun activity to do, why not build a bee house? You can do a DIY project with materials you have around the house or purchase a kit to assemble.
Just like you and me bees need to stay hydrated, you can give them a spot to do that and personalize your garden or porch by adding a bee puddler. This watering dish can take many forms that will regularly attract bees and other pollinating insects. Be sure to put some stones in it to give pollinators a place to land as they drink, since bees can’t swim!
There’s many great books out there to help you learn more about these fascinating creatures & their environment. Here are just some of the bee books on our reading list:
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson – (an important reminder on the impact chemicals can have on our ecosystems, and the progress we can make when we take action)
Colorado is home to many great organizations doing conservation work. Here are just a few of the types of places you can take a stroll this Valentine’s Day to learn about pollinators and know that your admission supports conservation efforts and education. Here are some of the many great options:
The western bumble bee was among the most common bumble bee species in the west, and now it is justifiably petitioned for listing under the endangered species act... Stressors like neonicotinoid pesticides do not necessarily 'care' whether a species is of conservation concern or considered a pest.Dr. John Mola Research Ecologist, Mendenhall Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center
Director, Public Lands Campaign, Environment America
Ellen runs campaigns to protect America's beautiful places, from local beachfronts to remote mountain peaks. Prior to her current role, Ellen worked as the organizing director for Environment America’s Climate Defenders campaign. Ellen lives in Denver, where she likes to hike in Colorado's mountains.