Bee colonies are in a lot of trouble. Overfarming, pesticide use, and diesel fuel fumes are all contributing factors to the decline of the bee population. It's important to help the bees out, as they are important parts of the ecosystems of many plants we regularly rely on. Since bees pollinate as much as 80% of crops in the US, their extinction could greatly impact our farming industry.
While we often hear about attempts to save the bees here in the States, we don't hear as much about what's being done to preserve and support colonies in other areas of the world. In Sweden, it seems that major companies are getting in on the sustainability efforts. McDonald's is one of the leaders in this area.
Apparently, McDonald's franchises throughout Sweden are installing beehives on the roofs of their restaurants. Some are even planting wildflowers to help boost the bee population. McDonald's is supportive of these efforts — so much so that the company enlisted a professional carpenter to build the world's smallest McDonald's, just for the bees.
Bees may seem like a pesky nuisance to some, but they're a very important part of our ecosystem. Sadly, many of our dangerous environmental practices are putting the bee population in danger.
The extinction of bees would lead to a major problem here in the United States, where they pollinate 80% of our crops. It could lead to the possible extinction of other plant and animal species that rely on bees.
This problem isn't just exclusive to the United States. In fact, 87% of the world's flowering plant species and 77% of the world's food supply rely on pollination, according to the World Bee Project.
McDonald's franchise locations in Sweden are doing their part to help the bees. They're hosting beehives on the roofs of their restaurants, as well as planting wildflowers to help boost the bee population.
McDonald's Sweden even worked with creative agency NORD DDB to introduce "the world's smallest McDonald's." The miniature version of a McDonald's location is actually a wonderful habitat for bees.
This little hive is simply adorable. It mirrors a McDonald's restaurant exactly, including a drive-thru and outdoor seating areas.
The amount of detail in the small structure is seriously impressive. The tribute also raises awareness of what Swedish McDonald's locations are doing to support bee populations.
"More franchisees around the country are joining the cause and have also started replacing the grass around their restaurants with flowers and plants that are important for the wellbeing of wild bees," creative agency NORD DDB explained, per Highsnobiety.
McDonald's isn't just working on saving the bees with this initiative. It's also working on doing so with minimal environmental impact, something that more companies need to consider.
Christoffer Rönnblad, marketing director of McDonald's Sweden, spoke to Adweek about the project.
"We have a lot of really devoted franchisees who contribute to our sustainability work, and it feels good that we can use our size to amplify such a great idea as beehives on the rooftops," he said.
There's no word on the project spreading beyond Sweden at this time. Still, if McDonald's could take the initiative worldwide, it would make a serious impact.
Of course, the McHive has also inspired jokes from fans all over the world. They wonder what the bees will think of their new little havens.
It wouldn't be a McDonald's story if there weren't ice cream machine jokes. We hope for the sake of the bees that their machines work!
This creative idea may seem humorous, but it's a step in the right direction for one of the world's most recognizable brands. It will be interesting to see if other companies come up with creative solutions of their own to support the environment.
