Time Magazine Article
Albert Einstein once said, “If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live”. At the current rate of worldwide bee population decline, this statement may yet be tested.
This article discusses the rapid disappearance of bees and possible causes. Among some reasons of loss of bees, such as pesticides and mites, the the dominance of wheat and corn as crop staples is listed. Since these crops are lacking of pollen, bees are starving. This is a relevant topic of discussion stemming from currents readings from class.
Even though this article is short, I think it brings to surface an important issue that most people do not know about. When most people consider the harm that pesticides have, they only think of the potential and actual effects that the pesticides have on humans, and not small creatures like bees. The pesticides being used on crops, such as wheat and corn, is causing the crops to not provide pollen that the bees need. Bees, even though they are small and sometimes annoying creatures, are an important aspect of our ecosystem in terms of pollination of our crops. Without bees, some of our important and highly-produced crops will not last. So the effects that pesticides have should not be limited to just humans, because they do have effects on animals and creatures like bees.
ReplyDeleteI think this article is a perfect example of man's foolishness when it comes to our place in the world. True, we may be the smartest and we may have done amazing things as a species, but we are just a small part of an incredibly complex system that is delicately balanced. The bee is a prime example of this. What we may think of as a small and insignificant insect is actually crucial to maintaining that delicate balance. Let's just hope our common sense catches up with us soon and we can find a way to keep these necessary bees around.
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