Power of Pollinators!
It's that time of year again! Uggs are flying off the shelf, leaves are falling, and you can find virtually anything Pumpkin Spice at your local grocery store!
Now, if you've kept up with news, you're probably aware of the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases that's upon us and you're wondering how to bask in the glory of a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte in the safety of your own home.
No need to worry, the iconic PSL is not that hard to make at home; we're posting a recipe to a homemade pumpkin spice latte below that can curb your appetite and allow you to enjoy a seasonal favorite year-round !
2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, or more to taste, see our homemade pumpkin puree recipe
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like it
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for serving
1/2 cup strong hot coffee
Whipped cream, for serving
Now, as you sip your fall-in-a-cup and appreciate the hard work of your local Barista, you should also give credit to the tiny workers that have made your cherished drink a possibility.
Almost every ingredient on that list is affected by the pollination of bees, the discredited baristas of the world. These mini heroes labor for many more hours than a Starbucks is open and work endless shifts with no benefits like health insurance or free Spotify premium!
Take milk or whipped cream, for example, both are dairy products and may not seem like they are influenced by bees. However, bees pollinate two plants that are crucial to feeding any cow population: alfalfa and almonds. These are essential to the success of the cattle industry. As a result, if there is less food to feed cows, there will be fewer cows to get milk from or the milk will be of lower quality. But that is just one ingredient. Looking at the rest of the recipe, pumpkins, vanilla, sugarcane, and coffee beans are all pollinated by bees as well.
Not being able to enjoy a hot or cold pumpkin spice latte in the middle of Autumn can not be described as anything but a tragedy, but, the impacts of the globally decreasing bee populations do not stop here. Almost every fresh produce that you can think of is pollinated by bees. To give us a good idea of the startling potential of a bee-less, the Whole Foods Market at University Heights pulled all the products that we would not have access to if bees disappeared, and here were the results: out of a 453 item selection, 237 items were gone.
US beekeepers reported a loss of 40% of the honey bee population between the years 2012 to 2018. A 2015 report from a United Nations group found that populations are declining for 37% of bee species. There are many other statistics about the decline in bee populations, but I shall spare you.
First, you can plant pollinator plants, which are plants that provide food for local pollinators. These include lavender, sage, mint, bee balm, lantana, and so many other perennial, annual, and flowering plants! Here is a good link for finding pollinator plants that are native to wherever you are! Bees forage for up to two miles away, so the foragers may be based miles away and just come to visit your backyard.
Another thing that you can do is if you use pesticides in your yard, you can apply them when the sun goes down. These pesticides usually also kill pollinators as well as other pests. But bees usually forage during the day so if the pesticides are applied at night they are less toxic to honey bees.
Finally, you can provide a water source for pollinators. They need water for hydration and bees to cool down their hives in the summer. You can do this by laying out a small basin with water or making a small mud pool.
These small steps can help your local bee pollination. Although they are small, they are mighty and we must protect them bee-fore it's too late.
-Sydney Perkins
https://www.pollinator.org/list-of-pollinated-food
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/8419/pumpkin-spice-latte-at-home-recipe/#itr-recipe-8419
https://time.com/4688417/north-american-bee-population-extinction/