As a local organization, The Urban Beekeepers are dedicated to preserving and protecting the most important pollinators of the world. This organization is dedicated to showing the world the impact a bee has on our everyday lives. Last Friday, the president of the organization, Mr. John Coldwell spoke to the students of Healthy Heritage and Black Gold and Green, as well as any other interested students. Aside from The Urban Beekeepers, Coldwell is the president of other organizations such as the Broward Bee Association and the South Florida Beekeepers Association.
These organizations all works towards the similar goal of educating students and adults in order to prevent the extinction of these insects; they “encourage anyone who wishes to become a beekeeper.” Not only do these associations stand by this motive, but they are also involved in relocating hives that would otherwise be exterminated.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are a student or not; I think everybody in our social network requires us to be social stewards towards our environment,” said Coldwell. “I also think products like pesticides and antifungals are being overused. If you ever have a way of managing the pests inside of your home, dealing with is naturally is much better that just exterminating it.”
With the vastly negative connotations that bees have nowadays, it is important not to be swayed or persuaded by common myths. One of the biggest myths is that bees sting everyone. “Bees don’t sting you because they want to (honeybees die as a result of this), and the vast majority of stings reported are accidental. Both the bee and the person were at the wrong place and at the wrong time,” said Coldwell.
Beekeeping is a very important, yet overlooked, job in today’s industry. Honey will be at the supermarket, but, like most food and condiments, there is always a story behind what we consume.
