Photo by andreas., under a Creative Commons license

No doubt you’ve heard about the mysterious ailment that has been wiping out up to 80 percent of beekeeping colonies across North America and Europe. Known as “Colony Collapse Disorder,” the bee losses have stirred beekeepers and conservationists alike into a panicked frenzy. We should be doing the same, considering that a study last year concluded that pollinators such as bees, birds and bats affect 35 percent of the world’s crop production, increasing the output of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide.

“If the tireless apian workers didn’t fly from one flower to the next, depositing pollen grains so that fruit trees can bloom, America could well be asking where its next meal would come from,” says Kevin Berger in Salon.

While the eggheads continue to debate about what’s causing the bees to vanish en masse—cell-phone signals? pesticides? Dick Cheney’s all-encompassing, life-extinguishing aura of evil?—we can still invite bees into our gardens by creating a chemical-free botanical sanctuary they can’t resist. (Organic beekeepers, it seems, have been reporting no losses.)

Here are some suggestions from Greenlight on how to encourage bee frolics on your home turf:

• Start by planting things that will be attractive to bees. Check out the Urban Bee Project’s recommendations for plants that will do well in your area. In my garden, I can attest that bees love blooming lavender.

• Create as much plant diversity as possible¹.

• Plan your plantings to bloom over a long season—so there will always be flowers.

• Keep in mind bees’ preferences: no mulch (bees tunnel into bare soil) and a slightly wild look. How far you go with calculated neglect is up to you. This is not permission to refrain from weeding and mulching your garden.

You can also find a trove of tips at the Urban Bee Project.

Additional resources:
1. How to Invite Bees into Your Backyard
2. How to Green Your Gardening

Related articles:
1. Lawn & Order
2. Leave Me the Birds and the Bees, Please

¹Gardens with 10 or more species of attractive plants have been found to entice the most bees.

WW@TH: Shroom to Grow: Home-Grown Insulation Gets Fungi

Cover of Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga Mat by Kimberly Wilson

I never realized how much the practice of yoga aligned with sustainable living until I flipped through my reviewer’s copy of Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga Mat. Yoga, according to author Kimberly Wilson, is all about balance, not abstinence. The hip tranquil chick lives passionately and mindfully, seeks to simplify rather than accumulate, and gives graciously of herself and her resources—all while spreading tranquility and exuding what Wilson calls “a chic consciousness.”

Here’s what Wilson says about contentment (samtosha), one of the five foundation yogic dos:

The hip tranquil chick views challenges as opportunities and cultivates a sense of gratitude for lessons learned. Being content does not equal complacency. It does mean, however, that you savor the present moment and accept situations and people for what they are. By being in the present moment, you will be able to let go of past regrets and future worries by focusing on the here and now. Living in a state of contentment means that you don’t lose sight of the big picture, but that you allow yourself to revel in where you are at this moment. The satisfied state ensures freedom from the struggle to keep up with the Joneses.
Modern girl scenario: When bombarded by the media’s idea of what clothes, car, or beverage you need to be happy, reflect upon all you have with a sense of gratitude and satisfaction.

And here’s the 101 on a yogic don’t, the lack of moderation (brahmacharya):

Even though the hip tranquil chick has a devout love of passion and a desire for succulence, she knows when enough is enough. Avoid overindulgence, recognize that all good things can become a crutch, and constantly seek the middle path. When practicing yoga, both on and off the mat, seek balance, simple indulgences, and surrender the “addiction” when a problem is detected.
Modern girl scenario: Seek moderation by indulging in small doses, especially in sensual cravings such as chocolate mousse, soy chai lattes, sex, shopping, and yoga.

Part yoga how-to guide, part self-help manual, Hip Tranquil Chick is a breezy read that shows us how we can take care of ourselves and our planet with style and panache. (Spiritual centering and physical toning optional.)

It doesn’t hurt that you can look cute doing it, either. I feel more relaxed already.

Photo by Twice Sewn

Photo by Twice Sewn

Why do kids get all the cute gear? These are from Twice Sewn, a little outfit that breathes new life into found textiles from Northern New Jersey’s finest thrift stores.

Photo by Amy Karol

At my parents’ home a few weeks ago, I found a bunch of old barrettes of mine with cracked plastic shells, looking like sad miniature butterflies with chipped wings. The metal clips themselves, however, were still serviceable if you peeled off the plastic tops. I snuck them back into my old drawer, saving them for another time when I was able to figure out what to do with them—don’t throw them away, Mom!—and I’ve been prodding my brain meats for a solution since.

To my absolute delight—and, I’m sure, my mother’s—Amy at Angry Chicken has shown me how I can reuse those slightly dinged up metal clips to create adorable felt barrettes for my inner little girl. (Procreate schmocreate.) Her name is Cordelia Arwen Honeysuckle Marylouise and she likes bologna sandwiches and slugs. We rock out, yethiree we do.

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