Blading for Bees

Zach Choboter trekked across Canada on his rollerblades to raise awareness about the plight of bees.

“What if one person picked up one piece of garbage every day,” said Zach Choboter. “That is such a tiny thing. But if everyone did that, imagine how clean the world would be.”

Choboter, who lives in Canada, is the founder of a nonprofit organization called Blading for Bees. The group’s mission is to promote more sustainable practices, with an emphasis on protecting the bee population. Bees have faced an increasing threat in recent years because of a loss of habitats and dramatic changes in the climate.

To raise awareness about the dangers that bees face, Choboter rollerbladed across Canada. His 10,093-kilometer trek (about 6,271 miles) in 2021 took him 91 days. That was enough to break the Guinness World Record for “Longest Continuous Journey on Rollerblades.”

During a recent interview, Choboter told me about the founding of Blading for Bees and his journey on rollerblades. “I was living in Whistler, British Columbia, at the time,” he said. “I was surrounded by people living out adventures and found this new love for the environment. Since I loved rollerblading, I decided to do that for the environment.”

During his research, Choboter said, he read about the importance of bees and pollination. “I was learning about bees, and the more you learn about something, the more you care,” he said. “Bees are amazing. They’re like a mascot [for the environment].”

“Bees are amazing,” Choboter told Jade.

SUPER POLLINATORS

The vital role of bees in our ecosystem is corroborated by Cassie Gibeau, owner of the Honeybee Centre in Surrey, British Columbia. She explained the key role that honeybees play in the pollination process.

“We can put them into a crop of a single fruit, and we can guarantee the honeybees will pollinate that fruit,” Gibeau said. “When an insect pollinates a plant, you’ll get 8 to 10 times more fruit that is bigger, brighter, and sweeter.” 

Choboter plans to travel across the world in 2025 to help save bees. 

“PLANT SOME WILDFLOWERS”

Choboter offered practical tips for young people who want to help protect bees. “Pick up garbage,” he said. “Plant some wildflowers. Ask your parents to consider mowing the lawn less frequently so the dandelions and clover have a chance to bloom. That’s where all the native pollinators feed from.”

Gibeau agreed. “Everything that is helpful for honeybees is helpful to all pollinators and our environment,” she said. “Any time we look at what is harming anything, including honeybees, we’re going to do a better job at protecting our environment and making a better future.”  

For Choboter, the mission continues—so do the adventures. He plans to circumnavigate the world on rollerblades in 2025. You can follow his Blading for Bees adventures online.