Where are the bees?
Bee populations have been steadily declining. Why?
There are a range of reasons, including; natural bee losses, the need for diversity in the bee population, invasive pesticides, and abundant farming.
The Business of Bees provides some insight into the shrinking bee populations from a variety of perspectives. The book explores the roles of corporate responsibility and governance and ultimately examines what the impact will be on consumers, companies, stock markets, and global society if bee populations continue to decline at these dangerous rates.
Athabasca University DBA student, Margaret Clappison, and Dr. Aris Solomon, Athabasca University Faculty of Business associate professor, accounting, have written a chapter in The Business of Bees: An Integrated Approach to Bee Decline.
An excerpt:
Ontario has had a major dissemination of the bee population in the last couple of years. Although only 15% of the bee yards are in Ontario, this represents 50% of the beekeepers. Currently some Ontario beekeepers are involved in a class action lawsuit against the pesticide companies. They claim these pesticides are killing bees and jeopardising their livelihood as beekeepers. In particular, they are concerned about neonicotinoids used to prevent insect damage and increase the yields of crops such as of corn, canola, and soybeans. Neonicotinoids are a synthetic form of nicotine that is systemic and there seems to be evidence that the declining bee population is due to these pesticides on crops such as corn. Studies have shown these pesticides banned in Europe were decimating the bee population. In Ontario the doctors and nurses are also encouraging a ban on Neonicotinoids. Other beekeepers are against the lawsuit and do not think the pesticides are harmful. Those lobbying to continue the use of neonicotinoids claim the large number of incompetent hobby beekeepers in Ontario have caused the increased decline of bees.
Congratulations to both Margaret Clappison, and Dr. Aris Solomon on your contributions to The Business of Bees: An Integrated Approach to Bee Decline.
The Business of Bees is available on Amazon now!
