SUSAN HIGGINS
times in the Bible, Torah and Qur'an as a symbol of selfless service, with the sweetness of their efforts (honey) representing divine kindness and reward. In the broader sense, just as faith is an integral part of human life across the globe, so too is the work of pollinators; the former nurtures our spirits while the latter nourishes our bodies.
Pollinators are vital to our lives and livelihoods—almost 80% of crops across the globe are dependent on pollinating animals, and this type of produce generates three billion dollars a year for markets of the United States. As many as one in every three bites of food that humans consume may be directly attributed to pollinator species simply doing what they were born to do. From the ecological stance, pollinators are crucial to the sur- vival of native vegetation, and by extension, countless animal species. As seen in sacred texts, humans have long appreciated the worth of pollinators, and we may still bring that worth to bear in the modern context, from the parallel roots of science and spiritual tradition.
Faith-based and scientific communities are not so far dis- tanced as public perception may hold; after all, both represent a powerful lens of human understanding. The issue of pollina- tor conservation presents a perfect example of opportunities
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