Climate Change Threatens Bees, Which Affects Food Supply
Do you know what bees, butterflies, and bats all have in common? They are all pollinators, and they are all facing extinction due to climate change. If climate change continues to raise temperatures, our food supply will be at risk.
In fact, about one out of three foods we eat is directly connected to a pollinator. Without them, there will not just be less food, but also less choice in general. This could severely limit our diets in the years to come if conditions continue to worsen.
These include foods like Apples, broccoli, melons, and more.
While all pollinators are important, bees are by far the most essential. They pollinate around 90 different commercially produced crops. Their loss would truly change the landscape of food availability around the world.
Plants are not the only thing that will decline in the coming years. Remember that most livestock eats plants, fruits, and vegetables. It would directly impact the meat industry as well.
Why Does Climate Change Impact Pollinators?
Climate change is having an impact on just about everything in this world, and pollinators are no exception.
For example, we all know that the world is getting hotter, and that is starting to disrupt when seasons begin and end. This is having a huge impact on species that migrate like bees and butterflies.
In the case of bees, if plants are not ready to produce pollen, or bees are ready to collect pollen when flowers are not, it directly impacts a bee’s health.
Also, specifically in regards to honey bees, there is actually a killer parasite that is becoming more prominent. The parasite is more insidious when temperatures are higher, which is causing a huge issue for the population.
In fact, beekeepers lost 45% of their colonies between April 2020 and April 2021.
For reference, 20% is an acceptable loss. This means beekeepers are losing more than double what is safe. Meanwhile, other major pollinators are facing similarly grim circumstances, as Monarch butterflies face extinction.
How Can We Protect Our Food Supply from Climate Change?
As a long-term solution, the world must stop emitting greenhouse gases like carbon and methane into the atmosphere. These heat-trapping gases are what cause the temperatures to rise, and they have been rising at an unhealthy level for decades.
Now, obviously, this is something that only governments can control.
A more realistic approach anyone with yard space can do is to plant local plants. This can help local pollinator populations to thrive by providing more food options. And if you are planting local plants, you won’t have to do much maintenance.
In fact, it’s not just homeowners. Entire communities are beginning to plant more flowers along roadways to help their local populations.
Even if you don’t have much of a green finger, you can make a difference by avoiding pesticides and other chemicals on your property. Instead, you could try introducing more natural remedies like ladybugs.
Ladybugs and Praying Mantises do a tremendous job of keeping pests away from plants on your property without harming the plants, people, or pollinators in your area.
Robert has been following and writing about environmental stories for years at GreenGeeks. He believes that highlighting environmentally friendly practices can help promote change in every household.
