Environment

The bees' needs: McDonald's unveils "McHive," flogs it for charity

The bees' needs: McDonald's unveils "McHive," flogs it for charity
The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson for the Nord division of the marketing group DDB
The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson for the Nord division of the marketing group DDB
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The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson
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The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson
A successful trial placing a hive on the roof of the McDonald's in Stattena
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A successful trial placing a hive on the roof of the McDonald's in Stattena
The work shows great attention to detail, including drive-through windows, outdoor seating and functional entrances
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The work shows great attention to detail, including drive-through windows, outdoor seating and functional entrances
Though the McHive is clearly a publicity stunt, it doesn't undermine the small but important efforts of some of the franchises in Sweden to offer a better deal for bees
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Though the McHive is clearly a publicity stunt, it doesn't undermine the small but important efforts of some of the franchises in Sweden to offer a better deal for bees
The decline of bees, other pollinators and insects more generally is a well-documented phenomenon
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The decline of bees, other pollinators and insects more generally is a well-documented phenomenon
The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson for the Nord division of the marketing group DDB
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The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson for the Nord division of the marketing group DDB
McDonald's in Sweden has created what it calls "the world's smallest McDonald's"
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McDonald's in Sweden has created what it calls "the world's smallest McDonald's"
View gallery - 7 images

To raise awareness of the plight of bees – and, no doubt, to nab some positive PR buzz and shift a few more Big Macs – McDonald's in Sweden has created what it calls "the world's smallest McDonald's." But there's a twist, would you bee-lieve it – it's not a McDonald's. It's a beehive.

The so-called McHive was built by set designer Nicklas Nilsson for the Nord division of the marketing group DDB. The work shows great attention to detail, including drive-through windows, outdoor seating and functional entrances that bees use to enter the hive.

The McHive was auctioned off, raising some US$10,000 for charity.

Though the McHive is clearly a publicity stunt, it doesn't undermine the small but important efforts of some of the franchises in Sweden to offer a better deal for bees
Though the McHive is clearly a publicity stunt, it doesn't undermine the small but important efforts of some of the franchises in Sweden to offer a better deal for bees

Do you want honey with that?

This may be a publicity stunt, but it seems to have spun out of genuine efforts to help bees by Christina Richter, who runs a number of McDonald's restaurants in the south of Sweden.

After a successful trial placing a hive on the roof of the McDonald's in Stattena, ably assisted by Duvestubbe apiary, three more restaurants are now to get rooftop hives – each home to 20,000 bees. McDonald's isn't restricting its efforts to hives – the restaurants are also replacing grass with more bee-friendly planting – which is, quite simply, a good thing to do.

A successful trial placing a hive on the roof of the McDonald's in Stattena
A successful trial placing a hive on the roof of the McDonald's in Stattena

The decline of bees, other pollinators and insects more generally is a well-documented phenomenon. Contributing causes are numerous, and are thought to include pesticide use, disease, pollution, loss of habitat, monocultural agriculture, and competition from invasive species.

As recently as February, New Atlas reported on how selectively breeding honey bees could help tackle colony collapse disorder.

Though the McHive is clearly a publicity stunt, it doesn't undermine the small but important efforts of some of the franchises in Sweden to offer a better deal for bees.

You can see a McDonald's promo video about the McHive below.

Source: McDonald's

McHive – the world’s smallest McDonald’s

View gallery - 7 images
2 comments
2 comments
Signguy
Bravo, the more bees the better. Now if we can just eliminate geoengineered chemtrails...
HighlanderJuan
Interesting and wonderful. An idea that started locally and is now spreading nationally. Does this whole life saving idea show the inventiveness of the individual mind over that of the group? Good for the bees, good for all of us.