This is what your salad bar looks like without pollinators
Pollinators play a vital role in producing one-third of the world’s food crops, but they are disappearing at alarming rates. Whole Foods Market and The Xerces Society are joining forces to “share the buzz” about the plight of the pollinators and empower shoppers to “bee” part of the solution.
During a recent two-week campaign, Whole Foods Market’s Gilman store in Berkeley, Calif. demonstrated what shoppers’ salad bar choices would look like if pollinators vanished. The before-and-after photos (above) are startling – as are the findings:
• Avocados, tomatoes and berries are just a few of the favorite offerings that would become scarce or disappear from the salad bar without the help of pollinators, which play an integral role in more than 100 types of crops in the U.S.
• Only 40 percent (26 of 63) of the store’s original salad bar offerings remained. In addition to produce options, shoppers would have to give up salad toppers like almonds, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds, too.
This photo shows that salad bars will be scarce without pollinators (bees) who contribute to the food chain.
• Beef and dairy options would be scarce. Pollinators are vital to crops that feed cattle, which means no more yogurt, cheeses or other dairy options on the salad bar.
“With nearly one-fourth of America’s bumble bee species now at-risk for extinction, it’s time to get serious about saving our pollinators,” said Eric Mader, pollinator program co-director for The Xerces Society. “But it’s not too late. With the support from Whole Foods Market and its shoppers, our organization is working to turn this situation around. We’re creating and improving thousands of acres of pollinator habitat in the U.S., reducing the use of agricultural pesticides and training people in pollinator conservation techniques that can save these unsung heroes of our food chain.”
To further showcase the vital link between pollinators and food, Whole Foods Market created a series of videos, kid-friendly educational activities and more information on how to help pollinators atwfm.com/pollinators.
Category: Health & Fitness, Local News
