Here We Go Again…The Great Sunflower Project, Revisited.

April 23, 2009 at 9:23 am · Filed under Articles, Editor's Corner ·Tagged bee populations, citizen scientist, environmental program, field observations, Great Sunflower Project, greener pastures, lawn chair, lifestyle adjustments, measurable progress, proactive, responsible lifestyle, sunflower project, white lab coats

Since it appears that there are quite a few new members aboard the Greenwala express, I’d like to revisit an environmental program that I touted back in March (please see original post here) because I think that it is so incredibly worthwhile. Many of us bemoan the state of the environment and yet feel that, aside from becoming more proactive and making eco-responsible lifestyle adjustments, we lack the necessary power to affect change on a grander scale. I may sound like a broken record when I talk incessantly about the value of taking baby steps toward greener pastures, and how over time, those actions morph into genuinely measurable progress, but here I am again, jumping up and down and saying, “YES!! It’s true! Every little bit helps!!!”

It’ll be Easy-Breezy

This sentiment takes on greater significance when it is applied to the efforts of the Great Sunflower Project to troubleshoot and ideally resurrect native bee populations across the country. While it may seem like an incredulous and practically impossible task for a bunch of brainiacs in white lab coats to tackle on their own, that’s the beauty of their plan – they are asking us…you and me…to help them with their field observations. Simply put, when people who are truly concerned about the plight of bees actually sign up on their website and agree to take on a role as citizen scientist, the Great Sunflower Project will mail out a free packet of Helianthus Annus Sunflower seeds and a simple data sheet. All they ask is that you plant the seeds and then track the amount of bees that visit your blooming sunflowers throughout the summer. Trust me, it’ll be easy-breezy…just sit in your lawn chair and watch Mother Nature in action.

Busy Little Pollen Movers-and-Shakers Deserve a Little Support

Yes…I know, I know – we all have so much going on in our lives. I actually let 15 of my closest personal friends know about this project via e-mail and not one of them acknowledged receiving my message or bothered to ask me for further details. Not one. I’m hoping that people in this community may feel like they have more of a vested interest in becoming part of the solution. The pollinators out there – the ones that are responsible for the food that we are so fortunate to eat – are taking a huge nose dive in numbers. Scientists are grappling with multiple hypotheses but can’t afford to toss around theories much longer – they need our help. By planting tempting pollen beacons around our homes (or in pots on a balcony if you are an apartment dweller) and simply watching and recording (in 30 minute increments) how many bees show up twice a month throughout the summer, we will help scientists to track bee populations (or lack thereof) across the nation. I, for one, think that our busy little pollen movers-and-shakers deserve a little support.

The Great Sunflower Project

If any of you are intrigued by this opportunity but crave just a little bit more information, please contact me via comments section and I’ll be happy to send you a scanned copy of the actual data sheet that The Great Sunflower Project just mailed out. They are using Lemon Queen Sunflower seeds as a fixed control in this experiment, so if you think that you’ll never make the signup deadline in time (ahem, procrastinate much?) or for some reason you do enroll online and fail to receive the free seeds, then you may just want to purchase them locally. The seeds are readily available, well-suited for all climates across the country and cost approximately $2.00 each packet.

Please let me know if you plan to sign up or if you’ve ever participated in this project before — and by all means, share this article with other like-minded people. I’d love to hear your feedback either way, so please write a little somethin’-somethin’ in the comments section below — thank you!

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