Optimist / Pessimist / Pragmatist
The process of seeking environmental INFORMATION more closely resembles the process of forming an OPINION. I was reminded of this in two reports that appeared in this weeks' news about bee populations. What they reveal is that credible sources of data can support opposing views. Although the book, "TO LIFE!", attempts to be inclusive of the diverse themes and approaches being explored by contemporary eco artists, it may not have adequately addressed 'optimist' and 'pessimist'.
Pessimist: Headline: "Mystery Malady Kills More Bees, Heightening Worry on Farms"
Optimist: Headline "Everyone calm down, there is no “bee-pocalypse."
Pessimist: Quote: Citizens are rallying to support a bill to ban the pesticides believed to be the cause of the bee populations disaster wrote an appearl that states unequivocably, "Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations -- some bee species are already extinct and some US species are at just 4% of their previous numbers."
Optimist: The "NASS Honey Production Report", recently released by the USDA, actually shows that US honey bee colony numbers are stable!!
Can the dire predictions and the sanguine report be reconciled?
I have not figured out how – not with regard to bees nor soils, insects, composting, waste management, energy production, and the innumerable other areas of environmental concern.
Attempting to resolve these dilemms is one way to expend time and effort. I have chosen another. I attend to each condition on the mini scale of my own homestead. I own a hive of bees and observe them daily. I revel at their diligence and resourcefulness through the warm months, and their vulnerability during the cold. They are collaborators on my homestead – facilitating my garden’s productivity and providing honey. Meanwhile, I protect my hive when food supplies dwindle in the fall and termperatures drop. This miniscule system functions without the support of data and conclusions regarding a “beepocalypse” or a “beemageddon.”