What with their role as an important pollinator, bees’ steadily dropping numbers is worrisome for what our future might look like. According to some research, losing the bees will effect almost 2/3 of crops grown (nrdc.org). These losses includes plants the coffee flower, avocados, almonds, onions, berries, and apples (nrdc.org).

I don’t know about you, but a world without coffee or avocado toast is not world I want to live in ever. But how can we help on the individual level? Sharing an article on how bees are dying is a great way to make people aware of the issue; however, there are some pretty easy actions we can take to help save the bees. After looking at suggestions from the New York Bee Sanctuary, here are five easy ways you can do your part:

1. Plant a garden or window box with a variety of plants.

If you have a green thumb, or just really want to brighten up your apartment or house, plant a variety of bee-friendly plants. This assortment will give the bees an ample food supply and plenty of plants to pick from.

2. Stay away from any form of pesticides.

After you are hopefully done planting that beautiful garden or window box, do not use pesticides on your plants. These pesticides are full of bad chemicals and will poison any bees that visit your garden.

3. Buy local.

If you love honey and fresh produce, start buying at local farms or your town’s farmer’s market. Supporting your local farmers will help sustain their bee-keeping practices AND hopefully give you pesticide free produce.

4. Leave bees alone.

This point is one I simply cannot stress enough, bees like the honeybee are not able to sting you. All they want to do is eat some pollen and enjoy their little bee lives. Teach everyone you can that bees do not need to be killed, but just appreciated as a member of our wonderful ecosystem.

5. Become a beekeeper.

Looking for a new hobby that no one else you know is doing? Well good news for your hipster self, beekeeping may be for you! Of course look into whether or not you can handle it, but if you can start your own bee colony and start helping the population grow as well!

Unless you want a future without guacamole, avocado toast, and copious amounts of caffeine, then you want a future with bees still around. Let’s make a difference for our generation and future ones to come, because no one should live life not knowing what coffee tastes lie.

Save the bees, y’all.