The bees are fading. For those who don’t know, that means we’re in trouble. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, 75 percent of the world’s food crops depend at least in part on pollination. We’ve heard blips about this problem in the news but haven’t heard much in the name of saving those pesky little miracle workers.
Occasionally, science will make headlines with a new study or new research, but the most recent news came from General Mills, which erased an iconic mascot from boxes to make a point. Earlier this fall Honey Nut Cheerios stopped putting its mascot bee (his name is Buzz the bee, people) on their boxes to remind consumers that bees are still disappearing.
But the company hasn’t stopped there. That’s just the tip of the… hive? Since releasing that tear-jerking video and changing up its box aesthetic, Honey Nut Cheerios has made some huge announcements in the name of bees. General mills will plant approximately 3,300 acres of habitat for bees and other pollinators by 2020. Some of this habitat will be within the oat farms for Honey Nut Cheerios itself. In order to select which plants and wildflowers will be best, the cereal giant has partnered with the University of Minnesota and the Xerces Society, a leading pollinator and wildlife conservation organization.
