Noah Wilson-Rich: Every city needs healthy honey bees

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Anny Chung 審譯者: Regina Chu

This man is wearing what we call

我們叫這個人的造型為「蜂鬍子」(笑聲)

a bee beard. (Laughter)

我們叫這個人的造型為「蜂鬍子」(笑聲)

A beard full of bees.

一把滿是蜜蜂的鬍子

Now, this is what many of you might picture

這個景象，可能是在座各位

when you think about honeybees, maybe insects,

想到蜜蜂、甚至昆蟲，腦中所浮現的畫面，

or maybe anything that has more legs than two.

或是想到任何多於兩隻腳的生物。

And let me start by telling you, I gotcha.

讓我在這開頭就跟你說，我能夠了解。

I understand that. But, there are many things to know,

我知道你們的不適。 然而，世界有待了解的事物太多，

and I want you to open your minds here,

我希望你們在這裡能保持開放的心態，

keep them open, and change your perspective about honeybees.

增廣視野，並改變你對蜜蜂的看法。

Notice that this man is not getting stung.

請注意到這個人並沒有被蜜蜂螫傷。

He probably has a queen bee tied to his chin,

他大概有隻蜂后黏在他的下巴上，

and the other bees are attracted to it.

而其他的蜜蜂就被吸引過來。

So this really demonstrates our relationship with honeybees,

這真正描寫我們與蜜蜂的密切關係，

and that goes deep back for thousands of years.

一個發展了上千年的互動。

We're very co-evolved, because we depend on bees

我們與蜜蜂共同演化，因為我們靠蜜蜂

for pollination and, even more recently,

替作物授粉，尤其是在近代，

as an economic commodity.

它已是個經濟商品。

Many of you may have heard that honeybees are disappearing,

你們大概有聽說蜜蜂正在離奇消失，

not just dying, but they're gone.

它們不只是死亡，而是完全不見蹤影。

We don't even find dead bodies.

我們連屍體都找不到。

This is called colony collapse disorder,

這現象被稱為「蜂群崩壞症候群」

and it's bizarre. Researchers around the globe

非常古怪，世界各處的研究者

still do not know what's causing it,

仍然不知道造成崩壞的原因。

but what we do know is that, with the declining numbers

但是我們確實知道，蜜蜂數目削減

of bees, the costs of over 130 fruit and vegetable crops

會造成我們所依賴的130多種蔬菜水果

that we rely on for food is going up in price.

成本及售價提升。

So honeybees are important for their role in the economy

所以蜜蜂不只是在於農業，更於經濟方面

as well as in agriculture.

扮演重要的角色。

Here you can see some pictures of what are called

這是一些我們稱為「綠屋頂」，

green roofs, or urban agriculture.

也就是都市農耕，的照片。

We're familiar with the image on the left that shows

相信我們都對左邊那張圖很熟悉。

a local neighborhood garden in the South End.

那是這附近 South End 的社區花園。

That's where I call home. I have a beehive in the backyard.

我家就在這裡，我後院有一個蜂箱。

And perhaps a green roof in the future,

有可能未來還可以加上綠屋頂，

when we're further utilizing urban areas,

以更加利用都市地區，

where there are stacks of garden spaces.

向上發展花園空間。

Check out this image above the orange line in Boston.

看看這個波士頓橘線上面照的相片。

Try to spot the beehive. It's there.

找找看蜂箱在哪裡。它真的在照片中。

It's on the rooftop, right on the corner there,

它在屋頂上，在角落那裡，

and it's been there for a couple of years now.

那個蜂箱已經安置了好幾年了。

The way that urban beekeeping currently operates

目前都市養蜂的經營方式

is that the beehives are quite hidden,

就是把蜂箱藏起來。

and it's not because they need to be.

而這並不是因為它需要被隱藏，

It's just because people are uncomfortable with the idea,

而是大多數民眾對於都市養蜂的概念仍不大習慣。

and that's why I want you today to try to think about this,

這也是為什麼我希望你們今天仔細想想，

think about the benefits of bees in cities

思考蜜蜂在城市裡所帶來的好處，

and why they really are a terrific thing.

並了解這是一個多麼令人興奮的概念。

Let me give you a brief rundown on how pollination works.

讓我簡短說明蜜蜂傳粉的過程。

So we know flowers, we know fruits and vegetables,

我們都知道花朵、蔬菜水果

even some alfalfa in hay that the livestock

甚至牲畜仰賴的苜蓿，

for the meats that we eat, rely on pollinators,

都需要昆蟲授粉。

but you've got male and female parts to a plant here,

這裡有一朵花的雌性和雄性構造

and basically pollinators are attracted to plants

傳粉昆蟲被植物的花蜜吸引，

for their nectar, and in the process,

並於停留在花朵上的同時，

a bee will visit some flowers and pick up some pollen,

帶走一些花粉粒，

or that male kind of sperm counterpart, along the way,

也就是類似花的精子，

and then travel to different flowers, and eventually

並將之帶到其他的花朵上。

an apple, in this case, will be produced.

最後結成果實，像這個蘋果。

You can see the orientation. The stem is down.

注意到方向。它是向下連到枝條的。

The blossom end has fallen off by the time we eat it,

等到我們吃它的時候，花瓣都已掉落。

but that's a basic overview of how pollination works.

這大概就是傳粉的步驟。

And let's think about urban living, not today,

讓我們現在思考都市生活的情景，不只今天，

and not in the past, but what about in a hundred years?

而更不是從前，想想一百年過後，會是什麼樣子?

What's it gonna look like? We have huge grand challenges

未來會有何樣貌?我們面臨巨大挑戰

these days of habitat loss. We have more and more people,

像是棲地損失。地球人口越來越多，

billions of people, in 100 years, God knows how many people,

幾十億人，一百年後，天知道會有多少人，

and how little space there will be to fit all of them,

而容納人類的空間越來越小。

so we need to change the way that we see cities, and

所以我們必須改變詮釋都市的觀點。

looking at this picture on the left of New York City today,

看看左邊這張紐約的照片，

you can see how gray and brown it is.

都是一片灰色和褐色。

We have tar paper on the rooftops that bounces heat back

我們在屋頂上鋪蓋柏油紙，它將熱能

into the atmosphere,

反射回到大氣，

contributing to global climate change, no doubt.

並加速全球暖化。

What about in 100 years, if we have green rooftops

但是一百年後，我們如果可以建築綠屋頂

everywhere, and gardening, and we create our own crops

在都市種植花園和農作物

right in the cities? We save on the costs of transportation,

我們就能減少運輸花費、

we save on a healthier diet, and we also educate

擁有健康飲食、並教育大眾

and create new jobs locally.

及在當地創造就業機會。

We need bees for the future of our cities and urban living.

我們的未來都市需要蜜蜂

Here's some data that we collected through our company

這是我的公司所蒐集到的一些數據

with Best Bees, where we deliver, install and manage

我們的公司Best Bees幫忙任何想要養蜂的人

honeybee hives for anybody who wants them,

運送、安裝、並管理蜂巢。

in the city, in the countryside, and we introduce honeybees,

我們推廣養蜂的理念，無論是在都市或鄉村

and the idea of beekeeping in your own backyard or rooftop

屋頂上或是你家的後院

or fire escape, for even that matter,

甚至於逃生梯間都可以

and seeing how simple it is and how possible it is.

這其實是很簡單並容易做到的事

There's a counterintuitive trend that we noticed

在這些數據中，我們發現了一個違背常理的趨勢

in these numbers. So let's look at the first metric here,

讓我們先看看第一個數字

overwintering survival.

過冬的存活率

Now this has been a huge problem for many years,

這是養蜂人多年以來面臨的困擾

basically since the late 1980s, when the varroa mite came

1980年代末期，蜜蜂蟹蟎入侵

and brought many different viruses, bacteria

並隨之攜帶許多不同的細菌、病毒

and fungal diseases with it.

以及真菌傳染疾病。

Overwintering success is hard,

成功的度過冬天很困難

and that's when most of the colonies are lost,

大多數的蜂群都是這時候流失

and we found that in the cities, bees are surviving

但是我們發現，在都市的蜂群

better than they are in the country.

要比在鄉下的蜂群更成功的活過冬天

A bit counterintuitive, right?

聽起來有點違背常理，對吧?

We think, oh, bees, countryside, agriculture,

我們通常的聯想是:蜜蜂、鄉村、農業

but that's not what the bees are showing.

但是蜜蜂告訴我們的並不是如此

The bees like it in the city. (Laughter)

這些蜜蜂喜歡在城市裡(笑聲)

Furthermore, they also produce more honey.

不只如此，他們在都市裡還能釀造更多蜂蜜

The urban honey is delicious.

在城市裡釀的蜂蜜好吃極了

The bees in Boston on the rooftop of the Seaport Hotel,

在波士頓Seaport Hotel屋頂上的蜂群

where we have hundreds of thousands of bees

牠們現在正成千上萬

flying overheard right now

於我們頭頂飛過

that I'm sure none of you noticed when we walked by,

你們走過一定都沒有發現

are going to all of the local community gardens

牠們造訪所有當地的社區菜園

and making delicious, healthy honey

並釀造美味健康的蜂蜜

that just tastes like the flowers in our city.

嘗起來就像我們城市中的花朵一樣。

So the yield for urban hives, in terms of honey production,

所以我們看到，都市蜂群生產的蜂蜜量

is higher as well as the overwintering survival,

以及過冬的存活率

compared to rural areas.

都較郊區的蜂群高。

Again, a bit counterintuitive.

真的不太合常理

And looking back historically at the timeline

如果我們追溯歷史紀錄的蜂群健康狀況

of honeybee health, we can go back to the year 950 and see

我們可以發現遠在西元950年

that there was also a great mortality of bees in Ireland.

於愛爾蘭的蜂群死亡率也是非常高的。

So the problems of bees today isn't necessarily

所以現今養蜂人所面臨的問題

something new. It has been happening

並不是什麼新問題

since over a thousand years ago,

是一千年前就發生過的事

but what we don't really notice are these problems in cities.

但有趣的是這問題並不發生於都市地區

So one thing I want to encourage you to think about

所以，我想要鼓勵你們想想

is the idea of what an urban island is.

"都市島嶼"這個概念

You think in the city maybe the temperature's warmer.

有可能是因為都市地區溫度比較高

Why are bees doing better in the city?

為什麼蜜蜂在城市中存活率較高?

This is a big question now to help us understand

這是幫助我們了解為什麼該讓蜜蜂進入城市

why they should be in the city.

的最重要的問題

Perhaps there's more pollen in the city.

有可能城市裡有較多的花粉

With the trains coming in to urban hubs, they can

許許多多進入市中心的火車

carry pollen with them, very light pollen,

有可能攜帶許多重量很輕的花粉

and it's just a big supermarket in the city.

使市中心成為一個花粉超市

A lot of linden trees live along the railroad tracks.

許多椴樹沿著火車鐵軌生長

Perhaps there are fewer pesticides in the cities

城市中也許較郊區少噴灑農藥

than there are in [rural] areas.

城市中也許較郊區少噴灑農藥

Perhaps there are other things that we're just not thinking about yet,

也許真正原因是我們所從未想過的因子

but that's one idea to think about, urban islands.

但無論如何，都市島嶼是個值得思考的概念

And colony collapse disorder is not the only thing

再者，蜂群崩壞症候群病不是唯一影響蜜蜂的東西

affecting honeybees. Honeybees are dying,

蜜蜂正在消失當中

and it's a huge, huge grand challenge of our time.

而這是我們這個世紀所面臨的極大考驗

What you can see up here is a map of the world,

這是我們追蹤歷年蜜蜂蟹蟎分布的地圖

and we're tracking the spread of this varroa mite.

這是我們追蹤歷年蜜蜂蟹蟎分布的地圖

Now, the varroa mite is what changed the game

你可以看見，蜜蜂蟹蟎的來臨完全改變了蜂群現況

in beekeeping, and you can see, at the top right,

在右上角的數字顯示年代

the years are changing, we're coming up to modern times,

慢慢移動，進入到現代

and you can see the spread of the varroa mite

你可以清楚看見蜜蜂蟹蟎

from the early 1900s through now.

從1900年代至今的入侵速度

It's 1968, and we're pretty much covering Asia.

到了1968年，亞洲已被完全覆蓋

1971, we saw it spread to Europe and South America,

到了1971，牠傳到歐洲和南美洲

and then, when we get to the 1980s,

然後，再到1980年代

and specifically to 1987, the varroa mite finally came

準確來說是1987，蜜蜂蟹蟎

to North America and to the United States,

終於抵達北美洲和美國

and that is when the game changed

而也就是那時

for honeybees in the United States.

美國蜜蜂的狀態徹底改變

Many of us will remember our childhood growing up,

各位應該都記得小時候，

maybe you got stung by a bee, you saw bees on flowers.

有可能你曾不小心被蜜蜂叮了，或是看過蜜蜂採蜜

Think of the kids today. Their childhood's a bit different.

想想現在的孩子，他們的童年不太一樣

They don't experience this.

他們沒有經歷過這些

The bees just aren't around anymore.

因為他們周圍已經沒有蜜蜂了

So we need bees and they're disappearing and it's a big problem.

我們需要蜜蜂，但牠們一直消失，而這是個大問題

What can we do here?

我們能夠做些什麼?

So, what I do is honeybee research.

我本身是研究蜜蜂的

I got my Ph.D. studying honeybee health.

我的博士論文研究的是蜂群的健康

I started in 2005 studying honeybees.

我從2005年開始研究蜜蜂

In 2006, honeybees started disappearing,

蜜蜂於2006年開始消失

so suddenly, like, this little nerd kid

忽然間，我這個純粹想上學玩蟲的書呆子(笑聲)

going to school working with bugs — (Laughter) —

忽然間，我這個純粹想上學玩蟲的書呆子(笑聲)

became very relevant in the world.

變成在進行世紀迫切需要的研究。

And it worked out that way.

真的湊巧就這樣發生了

So my research focuses on ways to make bees healthier.

我的研究重心在於如何使蜂群更健康

I don't research what's killing the bees, per se.

我本身並不研究是什麼因素讓蜜蜂死亡

I'm not one of the many researchers around the world

我不是世界上眾多研究

who's looking at the effects of pesticides or diseases

疾病和殺蟲劑，或是棲地流失和營養匱乏

or habitat loss and poor nutrition on bees.

對蜜蜂的影響的研究者之一

We're looking at ways to make bees healthier

我們尋找使蜂群更健康的方法

through vaccines, through yogurt, like probiotics,

利用疫苗，益生菌，像是優格

and other types of therapies in ways that can be fed orally to bees,

還有其他能夠經由蜜蜂食入的治療方法

and this process is so easy, even a 7-year-old can do it.

這些方法執行起來簡單到七歲小孩都能完成

You just mix up some pollen, sugar and water,

你只需要混合花粉、糖、和水

and whatever active ingredient you want to put in,

以及你所需要的任何活性成分

and you just give it right to the bees. No chemicals involved,

然後就直接給蜜蜂，不需要化學藥劑

just immune boosters.

只需要增強免疫力的食品

Humans think about our own health in a prospective way.

我們人類通常積極預防病管理自己的健康

We exercise, we eat healthy, we take vitamins.

我們會運動、吃健康的食物、服用維他命

Why don't we think about honeybees in that same type of way?

那我們為什麼不以同樣的觀點來看待蜜蜂呢?

Bring them to areas where they're thriving

將牠們帶到能夠充分發展的地方

and try to make them healthier before they get sick.

並且在牠們生病之前增強牠們的健康狀態

I spent many years in grad school trying to poke bees and do vaccines

我研究所時花了很多時間想要替蜜蜂打疫苗

with needles. (Laughter) Like, years,

用針打(笑聲) 我花了好幾年

years at the bench, "Oh my gosh, it's 3 a.m.

窩在實驗室 "喔天哪，已經半夜三點了

and I'm still pricking bees." (Laughter)

我竟然還在用針戳蜜蜂" (笑聲)

And then one day I said, "Why don't we just do an oral vaccine?"

然後有一天我想說 "我們為何不發展口服疫苗?"

It's like, "Ugh," so that's what we do. (Laughter)

真的是有夠 "啊" 所以，這就是現在我們所做的 (笑聲)

I'd love to share with you some images of urban beehives,

讓我和你們分享一些都市蜂箱的照片

because they can be anything.

因為它們能夠是任何東西

I mean, really open your mind with this.

我是說，真的敞開心胸想想

You can paint a hive to match your home.

你可以把蜂箱漆成和你家相配的顏色

You can hide a hive inside your home.

你可以在家裡面藏一個蜂箱

These are three hives on the rooftop

這些蜂箱在Fairmont Copley Plaza 飯店的屋頂

of the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel,

這些蜂箱在 Fairmont Copley Plaza 飯店的屋頂

and they're beautiful here. I mean, we matched

它們美極了。我們還特別配合

the new color of the inside of their rooms to do

他們房間內的木頭顏色

some type of a stained wood with blue for their sheets,

還有他們床單的藍色

and these bees are terrific, and they also will use

而這些蜜蜂棒極了，牠們會利用

herbs that are growing in the garden.

在花園裡種植的香草

That's what the chefs go to to use for their cooking,

那裡的廚師用香草做菜

and the honey -- they do live events --

而生產出的蜂蜜-- 旅館會現場表演取蜜--

they'll use that honey at their bars.

會拿去吧台調酒用

Honey is a great nutritional substitute for regular sugar

蜂蜜是砂糖的絕佳替代品

because there are different types of sugars in there.

因為裡面含有各式不同的糖。

We also have a classroom hives project,

我們同時有一個教室蜂箱計畫

where -- this is a nonprofit venture --

這是一個非營利計畫

we're spreading the word around the world for how

我們正在全世界推廣

honeybee hives can be taken into the classroom

如何把蜜蜂帶入教室

or into the museum setting, behind glass,

或是博物館，在玻璃後面

and used as an educational tool.

來作為教育工具

This hive that you see here has been

這個蜂巢已經在Fenway High School許多年了

in Fenway High School for many years now.

這個蜂巢已經在Fenway High School許多年了

The bees fly right into the outfield of Fenway Park.

蜜蜂可以直接飛出到Fenway Park棒球場的外野

Nobody notices it. If you're not a flower,

沒人注意到。如果你不是花，

these bees do not care about you. (Laughter)

蜜蜂才不管你呢 (笑聲)

They don't. They don't. They'll say,

牠們真的不會。牠們會說

"S'cuse me, flying around." (Laughter)

"借過，我要飛過去" (笑聲)

Some other images here in telling a part of the story

這些其它的圖片闡述的故事

that really made urban beekeeping terrific is

可讓我們真正體會都市養蜂的好處

in New York City, beekeeping was illegal until 2010.

一直到2010年，在紐約市養蜂是違法的

That's a big problem, because what's going to pollinate

這是個大問題，因為當地的花朵和蔬果無法授粉

all of the gardens and the produce locally? Hands?

要用什麼傳粉?難道用手嗎?

I mean, locally in Boston, there is a terrific company

我是說真的，在波士頓，就有個很棒的公司

called Green City Growers, and they are going

叫作Green City Growers，而他們到處

and pollinating their squash crops by hand with Q-Tips,

靠人力用棉花棒替他們的瓜類作物手工傳粉

and if they miss that three day window, there's no fruit.

如果他們錯過那三天的授粉期，就無法收成

Their clients aren't happy, and people go hungry.

而他們的客戶就不滿意，人們吃不到東西

So this is important.

所以這是很重要的問題

We have also some images of honey from Brooklyn.

這裡還有一些從布魯克林產的蜂蜜

Now, this was a mystery in the New York Times

這曾是在紐約時報風雲一陣子的謎題

where the honey was very red, and the

因為那蜂蜜是個出人意料的鮮紅色

New York State forensics department came in

結果紐約州司法實驗室派人調查

and they actually did some science to match

然後還真的調查出原來那顏色

the red dye with that found

與同一條街上的紅櫻桃加工廠

in a maraschino cherry factory down the street. (Laughter)

所用的染劑一模一樣 (笑聲)

So you can tailor your honey to taste however you want

所以你可以種各種不同適合蜂蜜的植物

by planting bee-friendly flowers.

來創造出你理想的蜂蜜風味

Paris has been a terrific model for urban beekeeping.

巴黎是都市養蜂的典範

They've had hives on the rooftop of their opera house

他們的歌劇院樓頂上的蜂箱

for many years now, and that's what really got people started, thinking,

已經運作多年了，這讓許多人意識到

"Wow, we can do this, and we should do this."

"哇，我們真的做得到，而且這是我們應該做的"

Also in London, and in Europe across the board,

而且在倫敦，以及其他歐洲城市

they're very advanced in their use of green rooftops

非常廣泛使用綠屋頂

and integrating beehives,

並融合養蜂

and I'll show you an ending note here.

所以讓我在這裡做個小結論

I would like to encourage you to open your mind.

我想鼓勵你們敞開心胸

What can you do to save the bees or to help them

想想你能夠做什麼來拯救並幫助蜜蜂

or to think of sustainable cities in the future?

或想想如何創造永續經營的城市?

Well, really, just change your perspective.

說真的，你只要轉換你的心態

Try to understand that bees are very important.

了解蜜蜂其實是非常重要的

A bee isn't going to sting you if you see it.

當你看見蜜蜂牠並不會螫你

The bee dies. Honeybees die when they sting,

其實，蜜蜂螫你牠會死

so they don't want to do it either. (Laughter)

所以牠們也不願意啊 (笑聲)

It's nothing to panic about. They're all over the city.

沒有什麼值得驚慌的，牠們已散布城市各處

You could even get your own hive if you want.

你想要的話，你也能擁有一個蜂巢

There are great resources available,

有許多很棒的資源來幫助你

and there are even companies that will help get you set up and mentor you

甚至還有專業公司幫你起步並提供教學服務

and it's important for our educational system in the world

對教育而言，蜜蜂也十分重要

for students to learn about agriculture worldwide

牠們幫助全世界的學生學習農業知識

such as this little girl, who, again, is not even getting stung.

就像是這位小女孩，看，她根本沒被螫到

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝 (掌聲)