How to Be Bee-Friendly This Week: Simple Habits that Protect Pollinators

Summer is fast approaching and just about every winged critter is finally coming out to play. Among those is one important pollinator: bees. These small yet mighty insects are imperative to environmental health and the production of food. However, with the compounding issues of climate change, habitat loss, and pollution, among many others, bees have become increasingly at risk. 

In this article, you’ll learn more about bees and what you can do to help these friendly little pollinators.

Key Takeaways in This Article

• Learn about why bees matter
• Four bee-friendly things you can do this summer
• Where you can find educational resources on bees
• How you can help bees by supporting your community

To Bee or Not To Bee, Why Does it Matter Anyway?

Bees play a big role in maintaining ecological health. Known for producing the beeswax, honey, and propolis that can be found in many commercial goods, these insects are also responsible for much of the pollination that allows flowering plants to reproduce. This crucial process of nature is what promotes biodiversity and, ultimately, food supplies. 

So, what would a world without bees look like? Well, simply put, it would look like food insecurity and general inaccessibility to a nutritional diet.

By taking small steps to ensure the well-being of bees, we can contribute to a healthier, thriving environment. Read along for simple ways that you can help save the bees!

Individual Actions That Can Protect Pollinators

Saving the bees is an awful lot of work. And while it might be tempting to don on a fashionable beekeeping suit, it might not be the life path for everyone. Instead, here are a few simple things you can do to encourage bees to thrive and keep them safe.

• Ditch the pesticides

  • It should come as no surprise that spritzing agrochemicals to rid your plants of one type of insect could harm the good ones too. Synthetic pesticides and herbicides are actually toxic to bees, as well as other helpful pollinators. While you can opt for organic sprays, it’s also worth noting that a garden can thrive without the addition of harmful chemicals. 

• Diversify your home garden

  • Monoculture is so out of style! Not only is it boring to look at the same plants over and over and over, but it’s harmful to our friendly pollinators. The lack of diversity in plant life results in a lack of food supplies for bees, making it harder for these hardworking busy bodies to survive. So switch things up and grow all kinds of plant life, the more colourful the better! 

• Mow your lawn less  

  • You might be surprised (and thrilled) to know that it would do quite a bit of good to kick up your feet and just watch the grass grow! While giving your lawn a weekly buzz cut might seem like a good idea, letting it grow out is actually a lot better for biodiversity. And as you might already know, a biodiverse environment is a healthy and thriving environment.  

• Leave out some water

• • In recent years, many parts of the world have been facing record-high heat waves. As each summer season appears more sweltering than the last, it makes sense that if we’re feeling it, then surely the bees are feeling it too. The solution? Leave a shallow dish of clean water out for the bees and its other pollinator friends. 

Educate Yourself on Bees, Environmental Health, and Climate Crisis

It’s never too late to learn something new. Whether it’s learning about bees alone or the climate crisis at large, being informed of the various factors at play and how everything is connected is an imperative part of contributing towards good environmental health.

• Consider the ideal habitats for bees

  • Habitat loss is a major threat to just about any living being, and bees are no exception. With the loss of forests, parks, and nature reserves, bees are running out of safe spaces to call home. Thus, contributing to their decline. But where exactly do bees nest? Trees and wood with cavities fit for burrowing are some of the primary places for their pollinators to rest. 

• Stay up to date on current causes for climate change

  • Every day some new, shiny phenomenon presents itself to be another seemingly harmless staple of modernity. But how many of us actually consider the potential costs before adopting each new trend into our daily routine? From the microplastics in that fashionable new outfit to the copious amounts of gas emitted and water guzzled by the AI data centers being built throughout various communities. Perhaps it would be helpful to learn more about each new wave and its environmental repercussions before jumping on it. 

• Learn about toxic activities that affect bees

  • While pesticides and air pollution caused by an array of human activities are commonly known causes of harm for pollinators, there are several other potential threats to bees.
    In fact, a 2025 report by Bee:Wild published with the University of Reading indicates that among the novel causes of risk for pollinators include environmental disruptions and reduced variety of crops due to war conflicts; the prevalence of microplastics; antibiotics polluting the environment; and a failure to plant the right types of trees at the right locations, among several other things.

• Learn about policies that affect your community’s green spaces

• • One of the most effective ways to cultivate a space that welcomes bees and pollinators is to be aware of what local policies are in place to ensure the protection of wildlife and green spaces within your community. Are there protections in place for endangered plants and animals? Are there any efforts in place to expand green spaces such as public gardens and parks that could serve as food sources and a place of respite for bees? More importantly, if the answer to either question is “no,” it might be beneficial to begin with finding out who within your community you should reach to bring up these concerns.

Ways to Help the Bees By Being Active in Your Community

They say that “it takes a village,” and lucky for us, protecting the pollinators was never meant to be a one-man or a one-woman job. By actively engaging with our local communities, we can foster a bee-friendly lifestyle.

• Shop local as often as possible

  • Not only will buying from farmers’ markets help to support local farmers, you’ll also be contributing to a reduced carbon footprint. Bonus points if you opt for buying raw honey, or skincare products and other home goods containing beeswax that’s been locally sourced, which effectively helps beekeepers maintain their livelihood.

• Volunteer at a local community garden for a day

  • Green spaces and even small flower beds can serve as a proper respite for pollinators. Consider lending a helping hand to local non-profit organizations and teams that are dedicated to planting trees, wildflowers, and other plants throughout your area.
    Don’t have much of a green thumb? Don’t sweat it! Spend a day joining in on group efforts to clean up local parks instead.

• Visit a local bee-keeping club

• • Much of beekeeping groups and organizations rely on volunteers to keep things running. Are you a skilled speaker, or perhaps a master at visual storytelling? From fundraising to writing advocacy letters to creating educational content on bees and other fellow pollinators, whether it’s time or resources, there are many ways to contribute to the conservation efforts for bees. 

Giving Back, One Bee At a Time

April 22nd marks the annual “Earth Day” event. While this year’s Earth Day has passed, the rest of just about every calendar year will continue to take place on Earth. And how lucky are we, that no matter the number indicated by an organized set of dates on a page, the bees carry on humbly, maintaining nature’s balance and beauty. Buzzing about as they transfer pollen grains from one plant to another, not once stopping to demand praise or compensation for the food that sustains us and our loved ones. 

Yet, just as the bee that keeps to its routine of pollinating, insignificant as they may appear in size, greatly impacts the lives of many other living beings, we too hold great weight. Our habits, our words, our intentions. And when we give, even in the smallest of ways, we are tending to an Earth that is our home.

More Ways to Give

If you’re looking for more sustainable ways to give back, check out 365Give’s blog for other tips on how to be environmentally friendly.

You can also visit 365Give.ca and sign up for our newsletter to receive inspiration and guides that can help you explore unique ideas on how to build the habit of giving.

Ready to keep making a difference? Explore more inspiring ways to give back to your community and the planet, because every small act of kindness, like protecting our pollinators, adds up to a world of change.