Latest buzz at Hotel Verde: How the art of beekeeping can transform lives

Hotel Verde Cape Town airport is already well-known for its environmentally conscious technological installations, construction, and operational practices, but did you know that we have also embarked on a variety of interesting outdoor initiatives to make our impact on the planet even more positive?

“Our aim is to consciously acknowledge and manage the impact of our operations on the environment and local community, and to further reduce our carbon footprint,” says Caron van Rooyen, General Manager at Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport. “One such initiative is our fun and inspiring foray into beekeeping!”

The Cape honeybee is only found in the Western Cape and parts of the Eastern Cape (effectively in the Fynbos biome). It is a vitally important pollinator of flowering plants, including many Fynbos species, and 50+ crops across South Africa, including deciduous fruit and vegetables.

As such, Hotel Verde was very excited to construct two beehives that house over 60 000 bees in partnership with the Western Cape Bee Industry Association in collaboration with Street Is Not My Reality.”

Street is Not My Reality (SINMR) is a local non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people living on the streets in Cape Town to find a way out of homelessness. The Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA) is a provincial beekeeping body that supports and promotes all aspects pertaining to professional beekeeping within the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Together these two organisations take hands to promote beekeeping as a positive way for homeless individuals to make a living. Additionally, this urban initiative teaches them about green and natural income-generation methods that they can share with other members of their vulnerable communities.

“At the moment, our beehives at Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport are tented and maintained by Little Creatures Honey Farm,” explains Caron. “This local business has been producing honey and other bee related honey products such as beehives and beeswax since 2010. They specialise in swarm removal, honey production, hive sales and pollination services.”

The honey produced by these hives are used on site at Nuovo Restaurant, and is also for sale at the deli. It makes a great gift to take back home, and every jar you buy makes a difference in the lives of many different role players that form a part of this exciting initiative.

This is just one of the ways in which Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport seeks to tread lightly on the planet while also creating positive change in our community. Keep an eye on the blog to learn more!