An Antidote to 21st Century Alienation – Connect With Nature
Consider 21st century life dull and alienating? Don’t fret: we’ve got a solution that will reconnect you with nature and stimulate your stunted attention span! Around the world, the United Nations is calling on people everywhere to connect with nature. Here in Canada, we have a world of possibilities. Friends of the Earth recommends three things to do: spot a bee, hug a tree and go pesticide-free!
First: the bees. They’re fuzzy, they’re buzzy, and we depend on them for pollination, but despite their importance, you probably don’t know that Canada has over 850 species of wild, native bees. In any urban backyard, there could be 40 or more different species of wild, native bees. How cool is that – they’re living all around you quietly going about the business of pollinating your food and flowers. Connect with your local wild, native bees by taking up bee spotting. And join Friends of the Earth in July and August for the second annual Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count.
Click here to check out five top spotting tips for the next time you decide to go bee spotting!
Second: the trees. They’re comforting, they’re beautiful and they give back big time – clean air, moderation from climate change, wonderful wood products, fruit and berries for you and me and our wildlife friends. What would our country or communities be like without trees? So get out there and hug a tree. Better yet, get your friends together and do a group hug!
Third: ditch the pesticides. No matter what you grow, from a balcony geranium to a pumpkin patch, there are better ways to deal with pests than pesticides. Instead, look for fatty acid soaps, biological oils and herbal repellents. When you buy plants at a nursery or garden centre, make sure they’re free of bee-harming neonicotinoids and other systemic pesticides. Your garden should be good for you and good for the bees.
Check out the rest of our website for other ways to celebrate World Environment Day and Canadian Environment Week!
