>>“Also, very few stationary beekeepers could be called "sustainable", and almost no hobbyists.”
...what is sustainable and what is not do not have universally accepted definitions.

There are some broad concepts of sustainable agriculture accepted throughout the world.  Here is what the University of California at Davis thinks www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm

Beekeeping falls under agricultural practices and the majority of concieous hobbyists can certainly aspire to keep their bees in a sustainable way.

One does not need to lose bees every year to be sustainable.  Resistant bees and OA are sustainable.  In the method and concentration OA is used it is not toxic to the environment (except the hive inhabitants - very damaging to mites and much less so to the bees) or people.

>>The other thing that needs clarification is what is the difference 
between a hobbyist and a commercial beekeeper.

Both can be equally sustainable.  I guess a sustainable commercial beekeeper could make a claim he is not profitable (enough).  I would dispute that because there is a ready market for products raised in a sustainable way.

>>And I do like cheap almonds although I could live without 
them… if I had to.

One does not have to.  You can raise hardy almonds in your own backyard. :)  It does not get any cheaper than that.

Waldemar

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