noun /bēwäSHiNG/
1. a form of greenwashing where A producT, service, or organization is advertised as Being more “bee-friendly” than it actually is
2. the grooming behaviour of bees
This is the good kind of bee-washing:
This is the bad kind of bee-washing:
Intro
Bee-washing is a term that was first coined by researchers at York University in Toronto, Canada. Bee-washing is a type of greenwashing where companies mislead consumers to buy products or subscribe to services under the pretence of helping bees. Bee-washing is also used to improve the public image of companies and has become an increasingly common marketing spin. Spotting bee-washing requires some knowledge about the differences between managed bees and wild bees, and the factors driving bee declines.
bee-washing.com serves two purposes: 1) to expose companies that fool consumers through “bee-friendly” marketing, incentives, or activities and 2) to increase awareness of North American wild bee biology, diversity, and conservation by sharing fun facts and ultra adorable GIFs (AKA the good kind of bee-washing)!
Bees are cute and highly marketable, but that doesn’t mean the marketing claims are accurate
The problem
False information about bees and their declines are readily shared in today’s click-bait culture. On top of that, many companies benefit from this misinformation to sell products aimed at “saving the bees”. Ironically, doing less is often the best way to conserve bees (e.g., mowing less, tidying your garden less, applying less pesticides, etc.).
Charlotte de Keyzer, a University of Toronto PhD Candidate, created this website to tackle the rampant and sometimes harmful bee-washing used by companies. She believes it is important to not only hold companies accountable for the misinformation they (willingly) spread, but also to educate the public on these matters.
99%
of bees do not make honey
>4,500
bee species are native to North America
>25%
of North American bumble bees are at risk of extinction
The goal: a well-researched blog where bee-washing is both shamed and adored
Some tips for bee-washing beginners: look for declarations of catastrophic bee declines, the #savethebees tag, and claims of a product’s “bee-friendliness” or contribution to “environmental sustainability.” If you find an example of bee-washing that hasn’t been shared on the website yet, please get in touch!
I’m also always looking for that good bee-washing content (especially in GIF format). I will credit you!
And of course, feedback is welcomed. There is subtlety in some of the arguments. Diverse perspectives and constructive criticisms on how to improve our communications are much appreciated.