Talk to Comb ‘Sustainable Beekeeping’

Paul Cronshaw, president of the Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association, explores the critical ecological importance of bees in agriculture at a lecture Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 3:30 p.m. in Westmont’s Founders Dining Room.

“Sustainable Beekeeping 101,” the first lecture in Westmont’s Sustainability Speaker Series, is free and open to the public.

The Santa Barbara Beekeepers help maintain a hive on Westmont’s campus.

“Paul will give a brief lesson on the fascinating life-cycle and social structure of bees,” says organizer Michelle Aronson, sustainability/marketing coordinator for Westmont dining services by Sodexo. “He will also examine health benefits of honey and other bee byproducts.

“I’m excited to better understand how sustainable agricultural practices, such as keeping organic farms and gardens free from pesticides and other toxic chemicals, are critical for maintaining healthy bee populations.”

About 40 Westmont students participate in the Westmont Garden and Sustainability Club, which meets once a week (Fridays from 3-5 p.m.) for workdays, farm tours, farm to table dinners, and cooking classes.

In an effort to engage the Westmont community about issues of sustainability and environmental stewardship, the Garden and Sustainability Club, in partnership with the Gaede Institute, hosts the Sustainability Speaker Series throughout the 2016-17 school year. Once a month, Westmont will host a local expert to introduce an important environmental topic and address issues such as renewable energy, waste/recycling, sustainability agriculture/fishing, and reducing our carbon footprint. The series anticipates the Gaede Institute’s Conversation on the Liberal Arts, “Liberal Arts for a Fragile Planet,” March 23-25, 2017.