Choice Hotels International, a leading hospitality company, has installed three beehives at its North Bethesda headquarters, partnering with Bee Downtown to promote sustainability and biodiversity. The initiative, part of Choice Hotels’ Room to Be Green program, aims to create a more sustainable future through energy, water, waste, biodiversity, and engagement initiatives.
Kingsway Mall in Edmonton has doubled the size of its rooftop garden with the goal of providing more fresh produce to the city’s food bank. The garden now has 54 planters and is expected to produce 300 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs this year, up from 100 pounds last year. The mall has also added a beehive to the garden to aid pollination. The initiative aims to raise awareness for the food bank and inspire urban gardening and beekeeping. The food bank supports over 34,000 people each month and has seen a 44% increase in demand over the past four years.
Beekeepers in Bosnia are facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change, threatening the survival of their hives and the preservation of longstanding practices. A shift in traditional foraging cycles, unpredictable seasonal changes, and a lack of government support are pushing beekeepers to rethink their practices and seek financial assistance to safeguard their livelihoods.
World Bee Day 2024 marks the seventh anniversary of the inaugural event, highlighting the vital roles of bees and other pollinators. This year’s theme, “Bee engaged with Youth,” emphasizes youth involvement in beekeeping and conservation, recognizing them as future environmental stewards. The event is a collaborative effort organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with a key feature being the international forum “Bees for people, planet and peace” in Ljubljana from May 22-23. The forum brings together stakeholders to enhance cooperation in beekeeping and pollination practices for sustainable development goals, focusing particularly on Africa and future conservation actions.
