A Dublin Bus mechanic hopes to expand his sustainable bee keeping hives after launching an innovative project in Broadstone Depot.
Paul Granger is a passionate beekeeper who has been taking care of the Irish black bee species for over five years. The hives he introduced, which can home up to 150,000 bees together with a pre-existing hive site at Phibsboro Depot, were launched on October 31.
He says both his work as a mechanic and a beekeeper have made him more conscious of littering and the environment. He had noted Dublin Bus excellent recycling system in the past and thought the Broadstone depot had potential to develop further sustainability.
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Paul told Dublin Live: “A lot of the maintenance staff got involved in building hives and frames. Since the launch, I’ve been getting calls off Twitter and Facebook. The initiative has really peaked people’s interest. Anyone can get involved in sustainability buy it’s only recently that it’s gotten more attention.”
Several Dublin Bus employees have joined the North Kildare Beekeeping Association alongside Paul in order to properly care for the new buzzing community at Dublin Bus. The two hives of activity at both depots will help preserve the black Irish bee, a species that has been dwindling in recent years.
Paul explains: “They are honey bees with genetics that are at risk from crossbreeding. They are on the decline so a lot of beekeepers are tirelessly working to keep their genetics pure. I thought this was one way we could help avoid the loss of a native species to Ireland.”
Efforts to protect the status of honey bees are gradually coming into effect in Ireland. A bill which calls for a ban on importing non native honey bees to Ireland has passed its second stage is currently before the Oireachtas. The bill, if passed, will help limit the decline of the Irish black bee, which has been dwindling in numbers since the 1980s.
Dublin Bus have welcomed the new additions to their team but are currently seeking to expand their human workforce as well. The transport provider is currently recruiting for heaving vehicle mechanics and engineering operatives to join their team, with further information available here.
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