Tanger Outlets will do its part to keep the planet livable by installing urban beehives on the roofs of six of its U.S. locations by the end of June, in partnership with Alvéole. At each site, the shopping mall operator will curate center-specific workshops designed to educate retailers, shoppers and communities about the benefits of urban beehives, along with its commitment to sustainability. Additionally, Tanger Outlets will create an interactive online platform coinciding with the hive installations.
Each location’s hive installation depends on seasonal conditions and temperatures, so the three warmer Tanger locations — in Houston, Fort Worth and San Marcos, Texas — will be set up by the end of May 2021. Locations in Atlantic City, N.J., Deer Park, N.Y. and National Harbor in Washington, D.C. will get their hive installations by the end of June.
Urban beekeeping offers multiple benefits, according to Alvéole, including:
- The hives inspire people and organizations to do better and do more for the environment, with the added benefit of producing ultra-local urban honey;
- Pollinators are responsible for approximately one-third of all the food humans consume, including almonds, eggplant, garlic, coffee and chocolate;
- Across the world, increased evidence shows that loss of habitat, pesticides, the introduction of invasive plant and animal species, diseases, and parasites are decimating pollinating animals. North America has lost over 50% of its managed honeybee colonies over the last decade.
- While wild bees can’t be domesticated, honeybees can. In an urban setting, urban beekeeping can be a way to encourage people to think about planting pollinator-friendly plants and flowers and expand their view of the environment. Alvéole uses docile Italian bees that serve as excellent ambassadors for the thousands of other bee species worldwide.
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