Haagen-Daz and the Honey Bees
12 November 2009
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- PBS will be premièring a new programme exploring the impact of the diminished honey bee population in the United States. At first glance the programme sounds great; however it is sponsored by an environmental offender - an ice cream giant.
Haagen-Dazs, known for its vast array of ice cream products, is sponsoring a PBS episode of Chefs A' Field entitled "Disappearing Act: A World Without Bees."
In the episode, David Guas, chef and owner of DamGoodSweet Consulting joins Haagen-Dazs Bee Board member and apiarist, David Hackenberg as they take a tour through Lerew Orchards in York Springs, PA. Guas and Hackenberg discuss the profound effect Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has had on U.S. agriculture and the economy. In addition, they will offer ways in which these important animals can be recovered.
"People don't realise that one out of every three bites we take is due in part to the honey bees' hard work in pollinating crops," said Guas. "I only hope the episode's visual representation of the impact they have on our food supply will serve as a wake-up call to others. Without honey bees, we wouldn't have many of the fruits and vegetables we all enjoy every day."
A laughable quote offered by Guas, because Haagen-Daz contributes daily to the environmental instability which helped spark the now on-going honey bee wane. Each and every day, livestock contributes to the greenhouse effect. Both Guas and Hackenberg sidestep this fact, and merely focus on the bees - blaming other factors for the causes of CCD instead.
Although this is an important documentary, one must have to ask why Haagen-Daz sponsored this programme in the first place. Could it be a pre-emptive strike against the ever-increasing price of honey, or maybe the sudden realisation that the products they manufacture will be eliminated. Whatever the reason, Haagen-Daz has no place to sponsor, nor even remotely discuss the crisis bees are facing.
Just take a quick look at Chef A' Fields web site and you will instantly be assaulted by images of livestock, fish and other animals. The promotion, imprisonment and consumption of these animals is a major contributor to climate change. Many environmentalists and animal rights advocates understand this connection – and strive to halt the demand and use of all animals and their by-products. To have a company, who condones the use of animals in order to push out their brand of ice cream, talk to us about honey bees - is hypocrisy in its purest form.
The pollination provided by the honey bee is crucial to our survival. They are extremely important pollinators. Even Haagen-Daz understands just how important they are when their honey is found in over half of the company's ice cream products.
It is a no brainer that the company's Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees(TM) would sponsor the upcoming PBS programme. The company has even awarded well over $500,000 over the past two years to Pennsylvania State University and the University of California for CCD research. Haagen-Daz is not stupid – they understand that these donations are investments, not to mention "super" tax breaks.
The entire campaign is flawed from the exploitation of these animals for their honey, to their collaboration with Alex Woo. Woo created diamond encrusted bee-shaped pendants to raise funds and awareness on behalf of Haagen-Daz for CCD research.
Even though 10 percent of all pendant sales will be donated to a good cause - they contain blood diamonds. Basically, it's just business as usual for Haagen-Daz, DamGoodSweet and Alex Woo.
Contact PBS and share your thoughts on "Disappearing Act: A World Without Bees," which is due to air on 14 November.
PBS Ombudsman - Michael Getler
Contact Form
Office: (703) 739-5290.
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