Today is Earth Day, and it’s definitely worth celebrating.
Being lucky enough to work in the paradise of Byron Bay, we feel the responsibility to give back to our community and protect the environment we live and work in. 30Acres is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, a global network with thousands of businesses and environmental organisations working together to support people and the planet.
Apart from participating in meaningful events, as members, we commit to donating at least 1% of our annual turnover directly to environmental organizations such as Rainforest Rescue, Reforest Now and Positive Change for Marine Life, to name a few. Read about when we went on a Team Trip replanting the Daintree Rainforest here and when we went on a cleanup mission here.
With that said, everyday is Earth Day at 30Acres as we give back every day of the year.
Being Earth day and all, we might as well take you through this exciting topic as well. We are on a journey of becoming a B Corp Agency. Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit.
B Corporations (or B Corps) make decisions that make a positive impact across their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
We have chosen the B Corp framework to ensure that we're not just growing financially, but that we're also being a good business - and can be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable in a world that is increasingly under stress. We have a chance to improve our way of working, positively impact our Marketing & Web Development clients, and our broader industry. First things first - take responsibility. Lead by example. This means that whenever we can, we encourage our partners and clients to follow a sustainable path in eCommerce.
While we haven't been certified yet, we'd like to share our journey and keep ourselves accountable to this commitment. We will keep you updated on our socials with every milestone we reach - Join the B corp ride with us!
We are not only striving to become more sustainable in our own work, but we are also happy to assist other companies and organizations that we believe are making a positive impact on the planet by undertaking pro bono projects, most recently with our friends at Colony Bees (also a 1% for the Planet member). We revamped their website and online presence so that more people could take part in their amazing work. Take a look here and check out the numerous ways you and your business can get involved in important bee conservation.
Colony Bees is dedicated to the protection of wild free-living bees and their habitat. Founded in 2021, Colony Bees envisions a renewed earth and community of people who observe, protect, and cultivate the bee. Their mission is to pollinate plants and share knowledge, acknowledging the gifts of the bee and their healing medicine. Bees play an essential role in Earth's vitality through pollination, purification, and peacemaking. Their symbiotic relationship with plants teaches us how to unite in harmony with the land.
It doesn’t end there; three of our team members have incorporated their very own beehives into their gardens, contributing to the process of pollinating the country.
I’m going to hand over the floor to Paul, Nicky, and Dave, and they will take you through their journey—why they decided to get their own beehive and how it has had a positive impact on their lives and our planet.
I was working from my home office in the hills behind Byron Bay one day in late 2021 when a stranger pulled up out the front in his old Toyota LandCruiser. A tall, lanky guy hopped out, extended his hand and said, “I’m Spencer. I like your native garden. It would make a great bee habitat. Are you interested in bees?”.
I’d always been fascinated by bees and was acutely aware of the ecological importance of these industrious insects for, well, everything. I’d certainly thought about introducing bees to our property, but didn’t know where to start. I was also very concerned about the collapse of bee populations across the globe, from human-induced causes like agrochemicals, pesticides, loss of habitat and indeed changing weather patterns.
Spencer spoke passionately to me about bees and his plans for his fledgling organisation and its ambitions. He was extremely driven to not only educate as many people as possible at a grassroots level, but to bring people together to protect and cultivate bee ecosystems across the Northern Rivers, and eventually the country.
A couple of months later, we welcomed the first colony onto our property. We instantly became transfixed and passionate about the bees, watching the daily patterns and rhythms of the hive. And this might sound strange, but the bees got to know us too. We can comfortably sit by the hive or open it up to check on their health. They’ve become an important part of the landscape we live on.
Fast forward a couple of years and the colony is much bigger and thriving (truly buzzing!). We harvest incredible honey occasionally and that’s a bonus too!
What’s even more gratifying is seeing Spencer’s vision come to life (after our chance encounter) and indeed to see our own 30Acres crew so fully engaged with important bee ecology and conservation.
After our team had an amazing morning learning about bees with Spencer from Colony Bees in Newrybar, and even got to harvest the honey without any bee suits, I was completely captivated. I immediately wanted to contribute to "pollinating country" by having a hive at our home in Burringbar, just north of Byron Bay.
Sam, Spencer's colleague, visited our property to help us decide on the perfect location for the bees' new home. We settled on a spot that basked in the morning sun, knowing that it would rouse the bees and kick-start their day's activities. It was also secluded enough to minimize disruptions from the kids and their friends.
Spencer generously provided us with a list of bee-friendly native plants to enrich our garden, and we eagerly awaited the delivery (relocation) of the hive. When it finally arrived at 6 am in the back of Spencer's truck, carefully concealed beneath a blanket, we were excited. Spencer and Sam positioned it exactly where we had planned.
As the bees adjusted to their new surroundings with their signature figure-of-eight navigational flights, we marveled at their adaptability.
The hive was installed in November of last year, and by the end of February, Spencer returned for a routine check. Upon inspection, we discovered that the bees had constructed their honeycomb across 2 frames rather than vertically along a single frame. Spencer expertly rectified this, gently guiding them to reorganize their hive while we savored the delectable honey that emerged in the process.
The honey's flavor was unlike anything I had tasted before, a testament to the diverse flora surrounding our home. Knowing that it would provide immune support to our family, thanks to its pollination by local flowers, fills me with gratitude.
Attending Spencer's informative session on beekeeping, along with their vital insights into pollination, at Colony Bees with the 30Acres team proved invaluable. It instilled us with the confidence, knowledge, and enthusiasm needed to establish our own hives. Living in an area abundant with bee-friendly flora, I'm fortunate to have ample space for a sizable 'top-bar' hive where a colony can flourish. Moreover, my children are eager to learn about beekeeping, and the prospect of harvesting our own honey is immensely gratifying. Along with being able to help with the very important pollinating role bees have, this endeavor promises to deepen our connection to nature and foster a sense of responsibility towards environmental stewardship.
Over a couple of weekends, I constructed a basic top-bar hive using plans sourced from the internet. Remarkably, just days after its installation, bees discovered and began inhabiting our hive, marking the exciting beginning of our beekeeping journey.
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Together we can help the planet thrive, and if we can inspire someone to make greener choices, that’s a win for us. Every small action counts, whether it's reducing plastic use or supporting local eco-friendly businesses. Let's continue to work together towards a more sustainable future, one step at a time. Remember, the power to make a difference lies within each of us. Together, let's make every day Earth Day and preserve our planet for generations to come.
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