All suffering is caused by one belief…. the belief in separation.
Vivian Amis.
MAY 20 - WORLD BEE DAY 🐝
World Bee Day - A few years ago a local organization started a community beekeeping program in Peterborough. I have always found bees fascinating creatures and so I decided to join an enthusiastic bunch of other people. What I learned took me down a path of self-discovery, which was both educational and illuminating. It was nothing like the path the Israelites took out of Egypt (Exodus 3:8) but it was still a turning point for me -- and although beekeeping did not flow with milk there was always lots of honey.
There are over 20,000 species of bees. Safeguarding bees, safeguards biodiversity.
It is estimated that in the world today there are between 20,000 – 30,000 species of bees, with approximately 4,000 species native to North America. Up to 75% of our crops rely on bees and other pollinators like butterflies. At the same time all pollinators are seeing a dramatic drop in their populations due to climate change, use of insecticides, loss of habitat, and other factors. And the main culprit of all this damage is humans.
The star of the bee world is the honeybee. We see it everywhere, from packages of seeds to a Cheerios box. Often overlooked but just as important are solitary native bee species like the Leafcutter, Mason or Sweat Bee. The European honeybee was brought by settler colonialists 400 years ago to Turtle Island (North America), for the sole reason that it produced honey and beeswax. This type of bee is not a native species but is considered by biologists to be an invasive species.
Image: Unsplash/Art Rachen
In our human history, honey has been a constant. For example, honey has been found in the pyramids in Egypt. It was coveted for its purity and sometimes became more valuable than gold. It was also used by many cultures through the ages as a medicine, taken internally or used as a salve for burns or other injuries.
In our world now, stories of bees and insects often fill the news; in the past few years we’ve read about killer bees and murder hornets. These are chilling images, but not new ones, as these scary harbingers of fear and death show up elsewhere in the story of the Israelites. (Exodus 23:28 and Deuteronomy 7:20). I would wager that the majority of people would prefer the honeybee over a murder hornet any day. Having worked with honeybees and having had unfortunate run-ins with hornets I would definitely take the former.
We live in a world struggling to come out of a pandemic, seeing the terror of war, facing climate change and addressing so many existential crises coming at us we can easily become overwhelmed and discouraged. The decline of bees and other pollinators has affected the ecological balance of the planet. What can each one of us do to be the change in the world? It starts with educating ourselves (and those around us) and being aware of the world. To look at things with a child’s viewpoint. There is nothing more wonderful then when I work with children at a hive or in the classroom, and when I see the wonder of this blue orb in space (we call Earth) through their eyes.
We – adults and children—can help bees and other pollinators by planting flowers which attract them. We can help bees by buying honey from local beekeepers, not using insecticides, letting dandelions grow in the spring (as they are one of the first sources of nectar) or by learning more about native bee species in our gardens. If we help one species we help all the world. That would be a good lesson for humanity to finally learn. It’s appropriate that the purpose of the UN World Bee Day is “Bee engaged: Build Back Better for Bees”.
United Nations World Bee Day, May 20
By: Tom Childs
Tom is a husband, father and grandfather, was born and raised in Toronto and now lives in Peterborough. He is also an ordained elder and lay missionary in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Timeline leading to World Bee Day
20 May 1734 – Breznica, Slovenia Birth of Anton Janša, who came from a long line of beekeepers, became a pioneer of modern apiculture. Bees were a frequent topic of conversation with neighbouring farmers, who would gather at the village and discuss farming and bee-keeping practices.
1766 - Anton enrolled in the first bee-keeping school in Europe.
1769 – Janša worked fulltime as a beekeeper.
1771 – Published the book Discussion on Bee-keeping in German.
2016 – At the FAO Regional Conference for Europe, the Republic of Slovenia proposed World Bee Day to be celebrated on 20 May each year, with the support of Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Association.
2017 – Proposal for World Bee Day was submitted for consideration at the 40th Session of FAO Conference.
2017 – UN General Assembly unanimously proclaimed 20 May as World Bee Day.
20 May 2018 – First Observance of World Bee Day.
Weekly Pause and Ponder
A Day for Trees
National Love a Tree Day – May 16, 2022.
With every tree there is a story. Tree Day was actually started quite recently by the people of Hyderabad in India. On 15 May 2016 the group Hyderabad Rising rose to protest against the government's plans to cut down thousands of trees around the KBR National Park, to make way for an expressway. Thousands of people of people from all walks of life rallied to protest. Successful, millions of trees were planted as the city residents became more devoted to and appreciative of their trees. It is now a recognized “Tree City of the World” by the UN & World Arbor Day.
But trees also become intertwined with our lives.
Some years ago, at our local St. Michael’s church, an old and respected maple tree was standing in the way of a parking lot. There was a great uprising from parishioners when the pastor announced that the maple tree would have to come down. The old tree held so many memories for the people. They had come to the venerable tree often to have pictures taken at significant and special occasions in their family - First Communions, weddings, funerals and reunions. The old maple tree was a part of their own family history, it had been with them and witnessed the most significant milestones in their family’s life.
An arborist was consulted to assess the health of the tree. It was reported to the congregation that the old tree was failing and there was concern that a branch might fall or the tree might collapse and cause injury to someone or a car. Insurance cost now became part of the concern and rationale. Eventually the pastor said that it would have to come down but in a nod to the concerns, a new tree that was 15 years old would replace it, planted to the side of the parking lot. We did lose old the tree and were consoled by the arrival of a new one was planted for the future generations. But that old maple, still in the hearts and treasured family photos of many had taught us a lesson. That tree is now kin to us all.
Sister Linda Gregg, csj
Ecojustice’s Youth-led Climate Lawsuit Against the Ontario Government
As Canada's largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice takes governments and polluters to court; exposes illegal practices; and shapes new laws to meet the urgency of the climate and ecological crises.
Ecojustice uses their legal expertise to take aim at the root causes of environmental harm and protect what we value most - the air, land and water that sustains all life.
For more than 30 years, Ecojustice lawyers have represented grassroots activists, Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, and everyday Canadians — free of charge, thanks to thousands of generous supporters from across the country.
Ecojustice lawyers Fraser Thomson (furthest left) and Danielle Gallant (furthest right) with our clients: seven courageous young people from across Ontario fighting for a safe climate future.
Photo Credit: Emily Chan
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph proudly supports Ecojustice’s ground-breaking youth-led Charter challenge against the Ontario government for their failure to act on climate change. One of the first cases of its kind in Canada, Mathur et. al. v Ontario builds on a global trend of litigation brought on behalf of young people who will be disproportionally affected by the severe impacts of climate change.
The case made Canadian legal history in 2020 when, for the first time ever, a Canadian court ruled that fundamental rights protected under the Charter can be threatened by climate change and citizens have the ability to challenge a Canadian government’s action on the climate crisis under the highest law in the land.
This September, Ecojustice is heading to court on behalf of seven young Ontarians in a landmark climate lawsuit – marking an unprecedented opportunity to constitutionalize government responsibility for climate action.
You can learn more about this historic case and the seven brave young people who are fighting for a safe climate future on behalf of future generations at #GenClimateAction: Mathur et. al. v. Her Majesty in Right of Ontario (ecojustice.ca).
Our partners at Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) have applied to join the case as intervenors which means they will have the opportunity to present via pro-bono lawyers their own arguments in support of the claims in our case. Indigenous Climate Action is much smaller than Ecojustice but they are mighty. They share our vision of a brighter environmental future for people living today and future generations. Their mission is to inspire action through the development of tools and opportunities created with, by and for our communities, with the goal of uplifting Indigenous voices, sovereignty, and stewardship of the lands and waters for future generations.