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Bees and our future: From crisis to thriving
Bees and our future: From crisis to thriving
Content
Bees are the silent engines of our world. Without them, our nature and food systems would collapse. But bees are struggling: due to the use of pesticides, a lack of flowers, and habitat loss, they are disappearing at an alarming rate.
In this learning playlist, you are the pollinator. Just as a bee flies from flower to flower, keeping nature alive, you will take your knowledge and action to different places in your local area. Each activity you complete is like a load of pollen you deliver: you leave something valuable in every spot. Together, we will pollinate our community into a thriving place for both people and nature.
Your pollination steps:
🐝 Activity 1: The bee as a climate hero: The preparation.
You gather nectar (knowledge) to get ready for your flight.
🐝 Activity 2: Journey to 2050: Exploration in Virtual Reality.
You will see what the landscape looks like without pollinators. You will understand why your flight is so crucial.
🐝 Activity 3: Digital pollinators: The first landing via Augmented Reality.
You choose a spot in the park and leave your first "pollen" there in the form of a bee hotel.
🐝 Activity 4: Art helps the bee: Spreading through paper art.
You distribute your seed paper. Wherever you land, things will grow.
This playlist is part of the 360 Youth project.
Activity cover (c) Francesco Ungaro
Activities to complete
Complete the following activities, earn badges and you will see your playlist progress updated
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
#Valuing sustainability
GREENCOMP
#Promoting nature
ESCO
#virtual reality of natural environment
GREENCOMP
#Systems thinking
ESCO
#inspire enthusiasm for nature
GREENCOMP
#Problem framing
GREENCOMP
#Individual initiative
Activities: 4
Started: 2
Completed playlist: 0
Time to complete: 1 hour 20 minutes
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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].
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