Passion for Pollinators
Humming busily, a honey bee glides through the balmy air, stopping periodically to rest on delicate apple blossoms in order to sip the sweet nectar from their smooth throats. A low rumble can be heard from above, as a small plane flies low over the soft pink trees, releasing a cloud-like liquid to drift down through the air. Settling on the vegetation below, fragmented droplets surround the bee, the toxic scent suffocatingly strong. Clinging to her wings and slowly weighing her down to the blossom she clings to, the substance takes its toll. Legs curling in towards her body, she ceases to move; beads of pollen serving as a golden shroud.
Out of the thousands of different species of pollinators in the world, a large portion is struggling for survival. A lot of their natural habitat has been depleted because of agriculture, pollution, invasive species, mites, and urban development, which interferes with nesting and hibernation, as well as the ability to find pollen and nectar to feed on. Ground dwelling bees are also at risk because they need soft light soil to nest in but much of their homeland is being compacted or covered with cement and replaced by cities. Non-native plants are another growing problem, because they tend to crowd out the native ones, causing them to die off and be replaced. This is an issue because many bees and butterflies (like the Monarch) rely heavily on only one or two kinds of plants as a food source or hatching ground. Similarly, non-native insects can provide competition over resources with the native species, creating a shortage of pollen and nectar.
At the moment there are about 24 types of butterflies, as well as several bird and bat species listed on the United States endangered list. This is a pretty big deal because about 90% of plants rely on pollination to survive, which means up to two thirds of food consumed by humans and animals depend on other creatures. Some of the foods dependent on pollinators include most kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains as well as plants like alfalfa that are fed to cows and thus indirectly feed humans as well. “A world without pollinators is a world without plants.’’
In order to preserve the lives of pollinators and many different plants and animals by doing so, we need to find a way to stop destroying the natural habitats they need, and cut back on the use of pesticides. Since this is much easier said than done, some ways individuals can help, include planting native plants and flowers in your yard for bees and butterflies to feed on, provide bare loose patches of sandy soil for ground nesting bees, plant milkweed which is a crucial plant for the survival of the monarch butterfly, and avoid using pesticides which can kill off both plants and insects.
Or you can always find alternative ideas; like making art.
Art has always been a big interest of mine, and I believe that it is a great way to express your thoughts and feelings about pretty much anything in the world. I personally enjoy drawing because it is relaxing and there is no wrong way to create something original. But what if instead of just creating a piece of art for the fun of it, you were simultaneously doing something to help the world? Why not use a passion to solve a problem and help others in doing so? There are many people who have succeeded in doing this, and no matter how big the result, everything counts.
In the spring I took a three week long class with Terese Agnew, an influential Change Maker in our area. She has been working to bring awareness to social and environmental problems through art since 1985 when she created her first public sculpture installations. In 1991, she started making art quilts along with her sculptures. One of her most well known quilts, “Portrait of a Textile Worker” which is made from 30,000 clothing tags and depicts a young woman working at a sewing machine in Bangladesh, has been displayed in several museums around the country and was also featured on PBS. Currently, she is creating a huge multi media art installation titled “writing in stone”. This project is centered on different events and ideas relating to Wisconsin’s past, and is composed of over 18 monuments resembling gravestones. Some of the stones are over 10 feet tall and are painted to look like they have been covered with the soot and moss of years gone by. Each stone carries its own individual message; some of them about a specific person or event that played a part in Wisconsin’s past, while others speak about plants and animals. Terese’s project also contains elements of sound, physical vibrations, and even a few living statues and actors. Her work is a great way to give viewers a new view on things happening in the world, and it is especially effective because it is not only beautiful, but something you definitely don’t see every day.
Art can be used to help the world in many different ways whether through poetry, songwriting, painting, working with yarn or fabric, pottery, photography or any number of other things that can be used to raise awareness. Because I especially enjoy drawing and painting, I decided to come up with a way to use them to help the pollinators. I would do this by creating pieces of art depicting the different insects and animals in need and sell them both to raise awareness and so that the money could be used to go to different organizations and nature reserves like “The Xerces Society” and “The Million Pollinator Garden Project” which are devoted to restoring native plants to help pollinators.
To ensure the safety of pollinators all over the world and help plants continue to thrive, find something you enjoy doing in life and find a way to put it to action. Every effort plays a part in restoring the health and beauty of the world we live in.
This story is part of a new Storytelling for Changemakers program for Changemaker Schools activated in partnership with Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Start Empathy.
Individual views expressed in this blog are from individual students at YIHS and not representative of Ashoka, Start Empathy, or Youth Venture.
