Hello to all of our hive friends, and welcome to another Jottings From Jazianzza. We hope you are all doing well as we move into this month of March. Jazi just told me about a new law in Peru that is designed to give protection and support to her stingless bee cousins.
It’s so important on myriad levels, so let’s just jump in, all right? This is what we found at ecoticias.com:
“In a remote corner of the Amazon rainforest, a tiny pollinator has just gained something usually reserved for people and companies. Municipalities in Satipo and Nauta in Peru have approved ordinances that recognize native stingless bees and their habitat as legal subjects with rights to exist, to thrive, and to be defended in court.”
This is wildly (haha, no pun intended!😉🐝) important on so many levels. For the first time in history, insects have been given legal rights to be able to live in safety, respected for who they are as “legal subjects.” These little bee-ings are intrinsic to the Amazon. As ecoticias notes, “they help pollinate around eighty percent of tropical plant species, including cacao, coffee, avocados, and many wild fruits.” And because the health of the Amazon is critical for the health of our planet, this is a huge win for all of us.
The Amazon is enormous, covering over 2.5 million square miles. That’s about 28 times the size of the UK. It’s estimated that 150-200 billion tons of carbon are stored in the forests and soils.
Without going too deep a dive into numbers, let’s just say that bees are literally a critical part of the fabric of this precious, vast forest. By protecting them, this will obviously help protect our beleaguered planet, helping to stabilize climate change.
In addition, more than 400 – 500 indigenous tribes live there, practicing ancient knowledge and living in harmony with the forest. During the pandemic, they used medicine that had life-saving properties. The importance of their sacred ways of life cannot be overstated.
So yes, Jazianzza and I know this is a win-win for the entire planet. Recognizing the inalienable rights of these stingless bees is the first step in not only helping to save the planet but also valuing the inseparable connection between nature and humans. We are all connected. It’s like MamaQueenzieBee told Jazi in Bee-Coming Strong, “You are an important part of everything. We all are. When you really know this, you will be much happier, and you won’t be afraid anymore.”
It will be monumental when we, as humanity, come to recognize this profound truth that MamaQBee shared with Jazi. Not only are we, as human beings, connected, made out of the same spark of Life, but we share this with all of creation. Everything is connected; no person, no animal, no insect, no drop of water lives in isolation. This means that we have the power within us to help support this marvelous planet.
So what can WE do? We can start by noticing. Notice the bees in our garden, the trees on our street, the food on our plate. Every small act of awareness is a thread in the web. We don’t have to be a lawmaker in Peru to make a difference — we just have to care, and allow that feeling to help us stay open to what we can do. Plant native plants? Protect our pollinators? Vote for laws and people who seek to preserve the planet? Donate to organizations that work to safeguard the environment? Whatever it might be, if Jazi taught us anything in Bee-Coming Strong, it’s that even the smallest bee-ings can have the biggest hearts and help create positive change. Until next time, please keep buzzing with purpose — the world needs our light! 🐝✨
This 1:09-minute video explains the legal victory and has stunning photography of the Amazon. We hope you enjoy it!
“I find one vast garden spread out all over the universe. All plants, all human beings, all higher mind bodies are about in this garden in various ways; each has its own uniqueness and beauty. Their presence and variety give me great delight. Every one of you adds with his special feature to the glory of the garden.”
— Anandamayi Ma, Indian Saint