This year, Ohio University's Earth Month observation focuses on sustainability issues surrounding the most fundamental of human needs: food. This weekly series seeks to address many aspects of a sustainable food system, including organic, local, vegetarian and vegan choices.
Though farmers and businessmen do the most high-profile work within our food system, other species deserve much of the credit for the meals we eat.
Without the contributions of honeybees, for example, many kitchen cabinets would be missing key ingredients. Though they are perhaps most well-known for producing honey, these bees are important pollinators of crops like apples, almonds, broccoli and carrots.