Give Bees a Chance – The Dairy Aisle Needs Pollinators, Too
June 18 2014 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Whole Foods Market® shows what the dairy aisle
looks like without pollinators; hosts events in stores Saturday,
June 21 to share how shoppers can help bees
Imagine a world with no milk, yogurt, or butter. No cheese? No
chance. Without pollinators, the dairy aisle would be a lot less
plentiful. That’s why the Whole Foods Market Lynnfield store in
Massachusetts demonstrated to shoppers how many of their dairy
department favorites would cease to exist without bees.
Imagine dairy choices without bees. Share
the buzz! (Photo: Business Wire)
Whole Foods Market took a hard look at the dairy aisle and found
that:
- Without pollinators, most
fruit-flavored yogurts would be gone.
- Pollinators are responsible for the
chocolate in chocolate milk.
- Without bee-pollinated clover and
alfalfa we might see up to a 50 percent reduction in milk
products.
- Pollinators directly sustain the plant
communities where animals graze for cheese production.
- Many of the other perishables in the
dairy aisle, from almond milk to fruit juices, are only made
possible because of bees.
Last year, the company executed a similar experiment in the
produce department and found that 52 percent of the normal product
mix in the department is dependent on pollinators. The latest
science suggests that around 85 percent of plant species on Earth
either requires or strongly benefits from insect pollination.
To help raise awareness about the importance of supporting honey
bee populations, Whole Foods Market stores will host “Human Bee-In”
events on Saturday, June 21 with family friendly activities,
sampling and food demonstrations. Contact individual stores to
learn about local events.
Additionally, from June 18-July 1, Whole Foods Market and The
Xerces Society continue their ongoing partnership to “share the
buzz,” raising awareness for the critical role bees play in our
food supply and educating consumers on how they can help.
“Despite the critical role they play in sustaining our world,
the situation for pollinators continues to be difficult,” said Eric
Mader of The Xerces Society’s Pollinator Conservation Program.
“Whether we are looking at honey bee declines, the massive downturn
in monarch butterfly populations, or the risk of extinction now
facing many bumble bee species, this is an incredibly tough time
for pollinators. The stand that Whole Foods Market is taking to
bring more attention to our pollinators should inspire all of us to
speak out for these creatures, and to take action.”
What can shoppers do to “bee” a part of the solution?
- Buy organic: Buying organic is one of
the easiest ways to support pollinator health by reducing the
number of harmful pesticides that can adversely affect bees.
- Skip the spray: Insecticides are
harmful to pollinators, and weed killers reduce food sources by
removing flowers from the landscape.
- Plant bee-friendly organic native
wildflowers to provide forage for honey bees and other
pollinators.
- Use your melon: For every organic
cantaloupe sold at Whole Foods Market stores from June 18-July 1,
20 cents will be donated to The Xerces Society. The U.S. Department
of Agriculture offers a one-to-one match for all donations made to
Xerces as well.
- Buy bee-friendly products: Several
suppliers have made donations to The Xerces Society to support
honey bee preservation. Look for the “Give Bees a Chance” signs on
their products throughout the store.
Think the pollinators’ problem doesn’t affect human bee-ings?
This video demonstrates how a restaurant meal would fare without
bees. Find more ways to help pollinators at
wholefoodsmarket.com/sharethebuzz. Participate in the conversation
online at #ShareTheBuzz.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140618005270/en/
Whole Foods MarketLindsay Robison,
512-542-3483lindsay.robison@wholefoods.com
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