EduHive

- field Product Design, Sustainability
- Peter Higgins
- Website www.EagleEyeDesign.com.au
- Email Peter@EagleEyeDesign.com.au
Approximately one-third of the food we consume each day relies on pollination, dependent from the common honey bee, which plays a significant although a generally unspoken role in the biodiversity and nourishment of our environments. However, there has been a dramatic decline in the global bee population over recent years, largely due to; climate change, disease, foreign parasites, constantly expanding urban environments, and the rigorous challenges involved with maintaining a healthy sustainable bee colony.
While there are many environmental organisations across the world, working on potential cures and solutions for diseases and pests, the population of bees is still rapidly declining. Thankfully there has been a global increased interest towards hobbyist beekeeping, that with correct setups and education, can bolster the bee population. As expert beekeeper Mark Klimkeit says “It is a far better approach and closer to nature to have 1,000 beekeepers with two hives each, rather than one beekeeper with 2,000 hives” – (2016) Amazing Bees
It is estimated, however, that up to 80% of budding beekeepers give up after the first one to two years due to; steep and long learning curves, expensive start-ups, constant required maintenance, and unrealistic expectations towards honey Production, – Burlew, R. (2017) overshadowed by the difficulty in keeping the colony alive and healthy.
The EduHive project targets new, inexperienced start-up beekeepers, shifting the focus away from honey production, instead viewing the process through an educational and sustainable lens. Eduhive provides start-up beekeepers an alternative beehive that facilitates easy inspection, affords the ability to observe and learn from the bees, in a way that is not as invasive and disruptive in comparison to traditional beehives. Alleviating some of the confronting aspects faced by beginner beekeepers, the EduHive hopes to welcome more budding apiarists and improve hive health leading to a healthy, sustainable colony.
- field Product Design, Sustainability
- Peter Higgins
- Website www.EagleEyeDesign.com.au
- Email Peter@EagleEyeDesign.com.au