Social media is defined as ‘forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos).’ Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Reddit have made it remarkably easy for content to go viral within the hour. In 2015, social media platforms were flooded with posts regarding the Bee Population Crisis which was brought on due to the Colony Collapse Disorder. This phenomenon occurs when the majority of the worker bees leave the hive, leaving behind the queen, plenty of food and a few nursing bees to care for the immature bees that are left behind. Although this phenomenon had been documented to be occurring since 1998, in 2015, it seemed that the general population learnt and proceeded to panic about it. Posts about ‘Save the bees’, ‘We need bees’, ‘#Savethebees’ flooded social media along with information as to how individuals can help care for these creatures. The quote ‘if the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live’, popularly attributed to Einstein, even though there is no evidence of the man ever saying as such, was one that cycled around social media platforms. After all, if it’s on the internet with a picture of Einstein next to it, then it must be true!
Organisations such as Green Peace used this wave of social consciousness to give their audiences a more educated and informed campaign leading them to be active and take the necessary action needed to help save the bees. This also led to other campaigns on social media such the save the bees campaign raising money to buy and plant seeds to give bees more flowers to pollinate. The organisation does this through jewellery where an amount of the money received from the item is put into the project. Etsy is also being used to promote the cause. They sell the items to benefit and promote the cause.
Link to green peace’s page on how to help save the bees: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/
