Bee hives for better landfills?
I believe that keeping our ecosystem clean and balanced is of the utmost importance not only for our environment but our health and safety.
That is why I have created the project "Bee Bombs for Better Landfills." The project's goal is keeping birds like eagles from consuming trash by naturally deterring them with bees. |
What is the problem? |
When we throw something away, we usually take it the landfill and think it's taken care of. This is where the problem starts. The trash process at the landfill has a weak point. Workers try to bury the trash as quickly as possible, but birds are faster. Birds are particularly bad about stealing and ingesting trash, and in the winter they even roost at the landfill to take advantage of every opportunity of new trash coming in.
The problem is the birds are picking up harmful toxins and pathogens at the dump and transporting them into our community far outside the confines of the landfill, posing an environmental and health hazard to our entire community. |
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Why we all need to care.
It's easy to think this is only a problem at the landfill; the scary part is nothing is further from the truth.
Super Bugs on Heavy MetalsAntibiotic resistant super bugs are given even more super powers with heavy metals found in our landfills.
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Ecoli in Our Water
Have you heard about the Kenai River high E.coli levels? Unbalanced levels are in our water ways. Scientists think it's coming in part from the dump.
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Birds Can Go Far
Birds take all this from the dump and put it in our pristine ecosystem threatening not only our environment but also our health.
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Why is this a problem?
When birds at the dump consume trash, they can ingest AMR (anti-microbial resistant) bacteria which are highly immune to antibiotics and pose a significant health risk to humans. Birds spread these AMR bacteria and other pathogens throughout our environment by leaving their droppings where we are now measuring elevated levels of E coli in our beaches, rivers and lakes. It can then spread and infect humans that come into contact with it. We need to stop this problem at the source which means we need to address the bird problem at the landfill.
When birds at the dump consume trash, they can ingest AMR (anti-microbial resistant) bacteria which are highly immune to antibiotics and pose a significant health risk to humans. Birds spread these AMR bacteria and other pathogens throughout our environment by leaving their droppings where we are now measuring elevated levels of E coli in our beaches, rivers and lakes. It can then spread and infect humans that come into contact with it. We need to stop this problem at the source which means we need to address the bird problem at the landfill.
What can be done?This is where we come back to bees. My idea is to become a bee czar by installing bee hives at the landfill to deter birds from frequenting the area. These hives, which I like to think of as little bee bombs, will hopefully deter birds from frequenting the landfill because of the potential of being stung or stressed by the bees presence and thus stop the cycle of birds ingesting trash and pathogens.
My hope is that these little creatures will revolutionize our trash approaches and create a safer and healthier environment for us all. |
"Many small people, in small places,
doing small things
can change the world.”
- Eduardo Galeano
How can I help?
If you feel a desire to contribute to my experimental project which is set to run during the summer of 2021, I have set up a venmo (@beeczar) to collect funds which will be used to purchase four pounds of bees to start my reign as a bee czar. I will also use the money to purchase supplies to build maintainable bee hives and the supplies needed to care for these little creatures that can change the world. Donations with the subject line of BEE BOMBS to @beeczar will go directly to funding this project. Thank you.
Please visit the rest of my site for more information on the background of this idea and more about me.
Please visit the rest of my site for more information on the background of this idea and more about me.
Thank You!
As a high school student, I've only become informed about this subject because of those around me who took time to help.
Many have taken the time to answer my endless questions and help guide me to more resources in my quest for improving our community. Without these and many more people, this project wouldn't be more than an idea. A very special thank you goes to: Soldotna Pubic Landfill, Dr. Christina Ahlstrom from USGS, Fish and Game Officers; Jordan Muir, Tim Bowman, John Crouse, Federal Wildlife Officer Mark Laker, Dana McDonald Infection Disease at CPGH, Merrill Sikorski for his guidance, and of course Mrs. Davis the most passionate biology teacher a freshman could hope for. Additional thanks goes to the many more that have helped make this project possible. |