Back in 2020, the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. partnered with Alvéole, a Montreal based social beekeeping company, to install two beehives on the roof of the Embassy. Since then, thousands of bees have been pollinating the surrounding urban flora and producing delicious honey for our staff to enjoy.
Founded in 2013, Alvéole fosters environmental awareness by working with hundreds of businesses and schools in major cities across North America. In addition to installing and maintaining the hives, Alvéole sees education as a key component of their mission. “We believe that hands-on education leads to inspiration, which in turn leads to action. Once they fall in love with something, people feel the urgent need to protect it.”
Alvéole’s partnership with the Embassy includes workshops for staff where they can get close and personal to the bees, help harvest honey, make beeswax candles and learn more about the vital role bees play in our lives. The Embassy bees also have their own blog with updates, photos and useful nuggets of information. For example, did you know that bees pollinate more than 130 varieties of fruits and veggies around the globe? That’s a third of our food supply!
Ultimately, urban beekeeping is about doing our part to #savethebees. Though the act of installing urban honey bee hives is not a solution in and of itself, it’s a meaningful first step and a reminder that actions both big and small can have an impact on the environment. You might not look up at the Embassy roof and expect to find bee hives, a pollinator garden, a vegetable and herb garden, and other native trees and shrubbery chosen to minimize water use (xeriscaping). Even in an urban environment like Washington, D.C., or wherever you’re located, it’s possible to be more eco-conscious and connected to nature.
Learn more about urban beekeeping and the work of bees to pollinate our plants and keep our ecosystems healthy at https://www.alveole.buzz/.
Alvéole Beekeeper Niya hosts a Meet the Bees workshop at the Embassy (May 26, 2022)