Photo: The Independent
Holland is welcoming bees to bus-stop roofs with plants that also clean dust from the air.
Here is a cool idea for nourishing our valuable pollinators — as long as you’re not allergic to bee stings.
Sophie Hirsh at Green Matters has the story. “Waiting for the bus is typically pretty uneventful — unless you live in one Dutch city. Utrecht, a city in Holland, the Netherlands, recently gave makeovers to 316 bus stops, outfitting them with ‘green roofs,’ The Independent reports. The roofs are covered with sedum flowers and other plants, which act as an oasis for bees. …
“As explained by BrightVibes, the plants will also help absorb rainwater, capture dust or pollutants from the air, and regulate temperatures. …
“In addition to the green roofs, the bus stops also feature bamboo benches and LED lights, which are much more efficient than fluorescent and incandescent lights. And to keep the maintenance of the green bus stops as eco-friendly as possible, Utrecht’s municipal employees who service the bus stops travel from station to station using electric vehicles.
“If Utrecht citizens find themselves inspired when waiting for their daily bus ride, the city is encouraging residents to install green roofs on their houses. In fact, Utrecht residents can actually apply for a subsidy to cover the costs of planting greenery on their roofs, according to BrightVibes. …
“According to the USDA, bee pollination assists in producing one out of every three bites of food we take in the U.S. Many foods we regularly enjoy would not be possible without bees. According to the NRDC, 42 percent of U.S. bee colonies collapsed in 2015, putting our nation’s food supply in jeopardy.
“But over the past few years, there have been a few other local projects to protect bees around the world. For example, in 2010, a German couple began installing bee hives on buildings around Berlin, with the goal of helping bees, as well as creating awareness for the importance of protecting pollinator insects. …
“If you have a garden at your home, there are plenty of ways to use your outdoor space to help bees and other pollinators. For example, you can plant flowers that will attract bees, such as alyssum, echinacea, geranium, and clover, preferably in bright colors like blue, purple, and yellow, according to Gardeners Supply Company. You can also stop weeding your garden and mowing your lawn. As explained by the New York Bee Sanctuary, dandelions and other weeds are great food sources for bees.”
More here.
Photo: GreenMatters.com
Pollinator gardens on bus-stop roofs offer numerous environmental benefits.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Holland has so many good ideas.
Good problem solvers, starting with the boy who put his finger in the eroding dike.
So true!
Interesting- I am hoping to get hive or two from a friend for the LI house. The bees were all over the sedum last weekend.
That would be fun for the grandchildren. For you, too. I hope your friend harvests some of the honey for your family.
So many of the initiatives you report on seem so sensible and manageable and obvious when I read them . . . but of course, I’d never have thought of them. This is a great example!
I’m inspired to start pondering the possibilities of other underutilized spaces the way the Dutch thought about bus stop roofs.