[Pollinator] Creating a Buzz with Honey and Green Jobs

[Ladadams at aol.com]

Creating a Buzz with Honey and Green Jobs
 
By _Akhila Vijayaraghavan_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/author/akhila-vijayaraghavan/)  | August 30th,  2011  
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/creating-buzz-honey-green-jobs/#comments)   _0 Comments_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/creating-buzz-honey-green-jobs/#comments) 

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You don’t often think of airports and honeybees together in the same  
context. And you never think of airports, honeybees and ex-convicts together,  
but that is exactly what _Sweet  Beginnings_ 
(http://www.sweetbeginningsllc.com/)  is doing. Sweet Beginnings LLC makes raw honey  and _honey infused 
personal care products_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/award-winning-advertising-burts-bees-makes-csr-cool/) . 
They have an all natural urban apiary in the North Lawndale neighborhood in 
 Chicago. Sweet Beginnings is a wholly owned subsidiary of the _North  
Lawndale Employment Network_ (http://www.nlen.org/)  (NLEN). NLEN in  
collaboration with Sweet Beginnings offers a  full-time transitional job for people 
who have served time. 
The core aims of the company gelled with the _Chicago_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/05/uncommon-ground-chicago’s-certified-organic-roof-top-farm/) 
 Department of Aviation’s efforts to  make its main airport (O’Hare) more 
environmentally friendly. The apiary is  located just outside the runway 
protection zone, which means federal regulations  prevent development. The land 
is over-grown with wild-plants, weeds and native  vegetation which makes it 
a rich source of pollen. This undisturbed piece of  chemical-free land is 
foraging heaven for bees and enables them to produce 150  pounds of honey a 
hive. 
They company has about 40 honey producing beehives. Urban honey is often  
better tasting than rural honey because urban bees have access to a variety 
of  different pollen types.  Urban gardens have various species of flowers  
growing in small spaces which gives a varied flavour to the honey that is  
produced. It also means that bees have to travel a smaller distance for a  
greater bounty. 
Beekeeping is a very important part of _urban wildlife conservation_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/walmart-donates-500000-urban-wildlife-protecti
on/) . Bees the world  over are facing severe stress due to climate change, 
_use of antibiotics_ 
(http://www.justmeans.com/Decline-in-pollinating-insects-antibiotics-in-Indian-honey-what-s-connection/33118.html)  and disease; 
sometimes  leading to collapse of entire colonies. Colony collapse does not 
only directly  affect honey production, it also affects food and agriculture 
at  large. Bees are the major type of pollinator in ecosystems that contain  
flowering plants.  According to a _UNEP report released last year_ 
(http://www.justmeans.com/Green-Living-How-Save-Bees/47066.html) , “of some 100  
crop species which provide 90% of food worldwide, 71 of these are  
bee-pollinated.” _Ecosystem services like pollination_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/05/capitalization-bee-cosystem-services-californias-almond-industry/)  are 
said  to contribute$14bn to the US economy alone and drop in pollinators 
would have an  adverse effect on already fluctuating _food prices._ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/author/Akhila-Vijayaraghavan/)  
_According to Grist_ 
(http://preview.grist.org/urban-agriculture/2011-08-19-ohare-airport-beekeeping-project-this-win-win-win-deserves-more) , Sweet 
Beginnings is  targeting three problems with one, eco-friendly solution. Not 
only are they _boosting the numbers of urban bees_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/07/savannah-bee-company/) , they are  also helping people and 
productively using empty land near airports. The company  was established by to 
help fight the many problems facing North Lawndale  residents. The community 
struggles with common problems of inner city  neighbourhoods that include 
crime, drugs and poverty. 
Their mission therefore is to help these people by transforming vacant,  
neglected land into apiaries. The company operates as a paid training program  
for residents with criminal backgrounds. Both state legislation and private 
 company policies make it very difficult for formerly convicted individuals 
to  find work, keeping them in a vicious cycle of crime. 
Since 2007, about 200 former inmates have worked at Sweet Beginnings. The  
recurring crime rate, or recidivism rate, for Sweet Beginnings employees is 
4%  which is much lower than the national average of 65%. This initiative 
has given  many people a chance at a new life without crime. The company 
brings in  about $100,000 a year in sales and it projects sales of $2 million in 
five  years. It sells its products at 13 _Whole Foods_ 
(http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/locally-produced-defined-differently-major-grocery-chains/)  
stores, in boutiques and farmers’  markets. They also plan on launching 
kiosks at the O’Hare and Midway airports.  So the next time you travel to 
Chicago, look out for them. 
Images: Top – Urban bee foraging for pollen. Photo Courtesy: Akhila  
VIjayaraghavan ©. Bottom - Sweet Beginnings team members pose with  some of their 
products. Photo Courtesy: Sweet Beginnings.
 
 


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