July 15, 2022
Don’t step on a Bee! Sounds like sane advice, but did you know it’s also a day of recognizing the incredible impact that bees play on our ecosystem? There are roughly 4,000 bee species in North America and about 20,000 around the globe that pollinate everything from flowers to vegetables. In fact, bees pollinate approximately one in every three bites of food you eat, which makes them essential to the health and prosperity of countless ecosystems worldwide. Crops such as apples, cranberries, and broccoli all rely on bees. Fruits like blueberries and cherries are 90% dependent on honeybee pollination, as are almonds. To pollinate the roughly 1.2 million acres of almond trees, the California almond industry needs about 1.8 million bees.
However, one in four species of bees are facing extinction. From fungus to pesticides, bees are facing rapidly declining numbers. In the US, the honeybee population has declined 60% since 1947.
This year, VITALIA Active Adult Community – North Olmsted is celebrating “Don’t Step On A Bee Day” by utilizing locally sourced Stein’s Honey from Sirna’s Produce in our tomato, watermelon, cucumber, and burrata salad on July 10th.
This event holds significance to me because honey is a great natural way to bring in some sweetness to vinaigrettes, as well as savory entrees. Nothing compliments the fresh vegetables and fruit of a summer salad better than locally produced honey.
By recognizing this holiday, we hope to bring awareness to this global issue and try to start a conversation about what we can all do to help reverse this trend and help build the bee population back to its pre-WWII levels. And while you’re at it, don’t step on a bee. We need them here.
VITALIA® Mentor in Mentor, OH offers independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Little Mountain Country Club, Pinecrest Shopping and Dining, Lake Metroparks, James A. Garfield National Historic Site, Headlands Beach State Park, and Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
