VIDEO: Allen Garr tends bees on top of the Vancouver Convention Centre

Allen Garr walks The Province's Dana Gee through his beekeeping routine on top of Vancouver's new convention centre.

Apparently, it's common for exhibitors to inquire about the green rating of a building before booking it for their event, and beekeeping—in addition to maintaining a rooftop garden—are great ways to increase a building's sustainability.

What is it we can do to increase the bee population? Allen suggests that cities allow beekeeping in urban areas, residents plant plants that bees like and we all eliminate the use of cosmetic pesticides and herbicides—the kind that prevent so-called nuisances like dandelions (I'll note, I LOVE their sweet little yellow flowers so am very pleased to know that Vancouver does not allow herbicide use on these friendly-faced plants!)

Read Allen Garr's column in Granville, a sustainable city living magazine in Vancouver.