1
The bee 🐝 as a climate hero
The bee 🐝 as a climate hero
Content
Bees are often underestimated. They pollinate a third of our food, but they also protect our climate by maintaining healthy grasslands.
Did you know that healthy grasslands store vast amounts of CO2 underground? Unfortunately, bees are threatened globally. Air pollution even disrupts their ability to follow the scent of flowers, meaning they struggle to find food. To be a successful Pollinator, you first need to understand how the ecosystem works. Here, you will collect the 'nectar' of your knowledge. You will discover how wild bees live and why they are crucial to our climate.
Bees are much more than just makers of honey; they are indispensable partners for our nature and our food. But how do they actually live, and why are they struggling so much?
How does a wild bee live?
Unlike the well-known honeybee that lives in a hive, more than 90% of wild bees are solitary. This means they live alone, often in small cavities in the ground or in plant stems. They are the hardworking "single mothers" of nature, independently building nests for their larvae.
Why are they so important?
Bees pollinate a third of our food and protect our climate. They ensure that native flowers and plants can grow. These plants, especially in grasslands, store vast amounts of CO2 underground through their deep roots. Without bees, these ecosystems would collapse.
How can you help?
Once you have gathered the knowledge (via video and text), investigate your own neighbourhood. Which spots are 'thirsty' and in urgent need of your 'pollen'? Write your advice for local policymakers. Here, you lay the foundation for your flight.
It is easier than you think. By sowing native flowers, gardening without pesticides on your balcony or in your garden, and providing nesting sites—such as bee hotels—you become a direct protector of these climate heroes.
This activity is part of the Youth360 project.
Activity cover (c) Skyler Ewing
Get activity badge
Climate hero in the making Get this badge
You now understand how a wild bee lives, why they are crucial for our climate, and what they need to survive. You have thought about the layout of your local area and watched the video.
Tasks
Task no.1
Evidence verified by: self-approved
Choose a spot in your local area (e.g., a park or a roadside verge near your home).
How can you improve the habitat for bees in your neighbourhood?
Skills
GREENCOMP
#Promoting nature
Organisers
Dutch Cities of Learning
Badge issuer recognized with
Awero not-for-profit organisation manages this platform and develops it together with leading educational organisations. The European Union's programme Erasmus+ granted co-funding for building the first version of this platform. Contact [email protected].
Platform
Change to another language:
