Save the Honey Bees! (Here's How)

Dudes, honey is kind of awesome. Not only is it delicious, but it also is used in some of the most excellent beauty products out there (hello, Burt's Bees, anyone?).  But evidently it's becoming an endangered ingredient - something called Colony Collapse Disorder is destroying bee colonies. Researchers still aren't sure why (could be pesticides, could be climate change, could even be an immune system disorder), but it's becoming more and more common for bees to simply up and leave their colonies, and those left behind die without their comrades to help them keep the hive up and running. And no bees means no honey.

So terrible, right?

Well, this weekend the world just happened to have celebrated National Honey Bee Awareness Day (Missed it? That's okay, now you'll know for next year), so take some action and save the bees - and that tasty, tasty honey. Here are a few ways to do it:

- If you have a garden, include a few "bee-friendly" nectar-producing flowers, herbs, and other plants such as azaleas, chives, lambs' ears, sunflowers, and marigolds.
- Hit up your farmer's market to buy locally-produced honey and support your local beekeeper.
- Buy products from companies that donate to an organization called Help Save the Honey Bee - Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Gimbal's Honey Lovers candy both do.

Just don't show your support by trying to pet a bee. Bad idea.