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Revision as of 04:43, 14 September 2015
Project
How does our project work?
Description
Without the bees planning dinner would be significantly more difficult. Bees pollinate 70 out of the top 100 food crops, which supply 90% of the world nutrition. It is apparent that bees are an integral part of the ecosystem and human life. However, bees have been in decline for about 30 years, but the rate of deaths have gone up in the past decade. In the United States, a startling 30% of bees are dying each year and this is due to a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which is destroying productive bee colonies worldwide. One factor contributing to CCD is the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor. The parasite sucks the bees’ haemolymph (blood), and transmits RNA viruses, such as Deformed Winged Virus, which are detrimental to colony productivity. Current methods used to control V. destructor are inefficient and resistance is developing in treated populations. Using synthetic biology, we designed E.coli that produce the miticide oxalic acid in the bee gut. This method targets V. destructor by directly delivering oxalic acid into the mites, creating mite-proof bee populations.
Government
Meeting with MLA—Shannon Phillips
City Council By-Law
Prior to 1983, residents of the City of Lethbridge were able to beekeep within city limits. However, an amendment to Bylaw 3383 that pertains to bees now prevents residents from being able to do so. In Southern Alberta, bee populations are currently decreasing with reports saying that North American beekeepers are losing approximately one third of their bees each year. As a way to help the bee population, our team made it a goal to try and have this bylaw amended to allow urban beekeeping within city limits.
Community
Seed bombs
We made seed bombs to help spread awareness about the decline of bees, while simultaneously promoting bee population growth. A seed bomb is basically a ball of soil, clay, water, and seeds. The idea is that people plant them in empty lots, undeveloped fields, or even their backyards so that flowers can grow, giving the bees more access to food. We used Smooth Blue Aster, Purple Prairie Clover, and Prairie Coneflower to make our seed bombs because they are native to Southern Alberta, and they would not be considered an invasive species.
We distributed seed bombs to members of the public and informed them about our project and the plight of the bees. Many people accepted our project and showed their support by signing a petition that supported urban beekeeping in Lethbridge, which is currently illegal.