The importance of bees in our ecosystem is undeniable for they are the world’s number one pollinators. Their rapidly declining population is one of the most pressing environmental issues that we face today, but the good thing is, different groups from around the world are taking part in saving them.
One of the efforts dedicated to saving the bees can be seen in a province in Holland, Netherlands. Over 300 bus stops in Utrecht have been transformed into green hubs in the locality’s effort of balancing the environment within an urban setting.
316 bus stops in Utrecht have been installed with succulent-covered roofs, LED lighting, and bamboo benches. The purpose of these green roofs is to provide a new haven for different types of bees, store rainwater, and capture fine dust.
Sedum plants are mostly what the green roofs are composed of. They require little maintenance, but they have the ability to attract honeybees and bumblebees with their flowers.
Aside from the green bus stops, Utrecht plans to take more steps to combat climate change by making their transportation friendlier to the ecosystem. By 2028, they pledge to have completely carbon-neutral transportation. They also plan to introduce 55 electric buses into their fleet by the end of this year.
The province has also invested in the repair of their cycling paths and they are planning to conduct an experiment in the year 2020. The solar panels installed along these cycling paths will be used to harvest energy, and the continuation of this program will depend on whether the trial yields positive results or not.
Utrecht is also hoping to encourage private citizens to take part in the movement against climate change by providing funding to those who wish to transform their own roofs into green roofs. This way, the bees will have more options to choose from.
Hopefully, this brilliant initiative by Utrecht will be adopted by other urban centers so that there will be more warriors for the ecosystem!