What do bees have to do with business? Strength in diversity. Efficiency and productivity from cooperation. Working together for the good of the whole. Concepts that we value in the business world are absolutely crucial to the survival of a honeybee colony. What’s more, honeybees are helping revitalize Detroit neighborhoods by “turning blight into gold.”
And if that isn’t compelling enough, the fate of honeybees directly relates to the fate of humans on this planet. That’s a pretty important reason to ensure their survival.
On this double episode of the Make Meaning podcast, Lynne speaks with honeybee expert Dr. Dennis vanEngelsdorp, President of Bee Informed Partnership and Associate Professor at University of Maryland, about the plight of honeybees and what we can do to help them. She then turns to Detroit Hives beekeepers Nicole Lindsey and DeAndra LeMelle to talk about how honeybees are transforming Detroit neighborhoods and the lives of those around them. Listen here:
On this episode of the Make Meaning podcast, Lynne, Dennis, Nicole and DeAndra discuss:
- The rapid decline of the honeybee population
- 3 factors threatening the survival of honeybees
- The significant contribution of the honeybee
- Important values gleaned from honeybee society
- How honeybees are revitalizing Detroit neighborhoods
- The domino effect of positivity
- Seeing possibilities for purpose and meaning in beekeeping
Links and Resources:
- vanEngelsdorp Bee Lab
- BeeInformed Partnership website
- Detroit Hives website
- Honeybee Colony Losses 2018- 2019: Preliminary Results
- Dangers facing honeybees and steps to counteract them
- Ted Talk: “A Plea for Beas”
- Detroit’s urban beekeepers are transforming the city’s vacant lots, National Geographic
- Hope Takes Root
Coming up on the Make Meaning Podcast: Tune in September 2 as Lynne speaks with Gautam Jain, the Dean of Vedanta Cultural Foundation USA and teacher of the ancient philosophy of Vedanta which “…presents the eternal principles of life and living.” To the average person: achieving prosperity by being dynamic and productive on the outside and peaceful on the inside.
Who doesn’t want prosperity and peace? Find out how to achieve it on the next episode of the Make Meaning podcast!