To: Hannah O’Donnell, Straight Up PR - Australia, Yolanda Che, Media Contact - Hong Kong, Ms. Kathrin Gröber, Media Contact - Germany, Tracey Stapleton, Media Contact - United Kingdom, Ryan Fletcher, Media Contact - USA and Canada, and David...
Dr. Bronner's, Make Your Lip Balm Vegan - Selling Beeswax Harms Bees
Dear David Bronner (CEO), Michael Bronner (President), Dr. Bronner's executive team, and All Staff,
Dr. Bronner's lip balm contains beeswax, which is a non-vegan product.
Dr. Bronner's fifth principle, however, very honorably states, "Do not waste, do not harm the land or people or animals."
We, the petition signers, request that Dr. Bronner's find a plant-based (vegan) replacement to beeswax and pursue Vegan Certification for your lip balms and all other products.
Dr. Bronner's lip balm contains beeswax, which is a non-vegan product.
Dr. Bronner's fifth principle, however, very honorably states, "Do not waste, do not harm the land or people or animals."
We, the petition signers, request that Dr. Bronner's find a plant-based (vegan) replacement to beeswax and pursue Vegan Certification for your lip balms and all other products.
Why is this important?
Taking beeswax, necessarily, harms the bees that it is taken from. Many bees and their young die when beeswax and honey are stolen from their hives for human consumption. Please consider that bees do not willingly give their honey to humans. Instead, humans must subjugate, manipulate, control, and oftentimes trick the bees to be able to take their honey.
Bees are clever animals and will defend their hives when their wax and honey are stolen. Bee keepers will often kill aggressive, non-conforming, queen bees and replace them with more docile queens. Sometimes, after humans repeatedly steal a colonies' wax and honey, certain queen bees will move their hives. Because of this, it is a common practice for bee keepers to cut off the wings of queen bees so that they cannot move their hives.
Please carefully review the following website for more information about why beeswax and honey are not vegan: http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
Also, please realize that when Dr. Bronner's takes wax and honey from bees, you are taking both building materials and food that the bees worked very hard to get. Their wax is used to store larva, propolis, and honey. The wax and honey taken from the bees would have been used as food and shelter during times of need. Many larva die during the harvesting of beeswax. As part of the collection process, the colonies of bees lose their homes, food stores, and many lives.
We know that Dr. Bronner's is a company that acts ethically and, therefore, we request that you continue to adhere to the vegan belief that ALL sentient life is sacred and exploitation by humans should be avoided.
We understand that you are using a formula created by Native American Keewaydinoquay and Sue Kastensen and that the beeswax being used is organic and from wild bees in Zambia. We also appreciate that you have gone to some effort to make a quality product with thought and attention to detail. However, for the reasons listed above, your lip balm is not vegan, it does cause the bees harm, and therefore does not align with your principles nor the vegan ethic.
Therefore, we, the petition signers, request that you find a plant-based (vegan) replacement to beeswax and pursue Vegan Certification for your lip balms and all other products.
Resources:
1. Why Honey Is Not Vegan: http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
2. Bee Larva Dying During Wax Harvest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT2sKFfCgq0
3. Vegan Certification: http://vegan.org/vegan-certifications/
4. Dr. Bronner's Lip Balm Containing Beeswax: https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LIPANDBODYBALM/SD0202.html
5. PETA's - What's Wrong With Beeswax: http://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/whats-wrong-with-beeswax/
6. PETA's - The Honey Industry: http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/animals-used-food-factsheets/honey-factory-farmed-bees/
Bees are clever animals and will defend their hives when their wax and honey are stolen. Bee keepers will often kill aggressive, non-conforming, queen bees and replace them with more docile queens. Sometimes, after humans repeatedly steal a colonies' wax and honey, certain queen bees will move their hives. Because of this, it is a common practice for bee keepers to cut off the wings of queen bees so that they cannot move their hives.
Please carefully review the following website for more information about why beeswax and honey are not vegan: http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
Also, please realize that when Dr. Bronner's takes wax and honey from bees, you are taking both building materials and food that the bees worked very hard to get. Their wax is used to store larva, propolis, and honey. The wax and honey taken from the bees would have been used as food and shelter during times of need. Many larva die during the harvesting of beeswax. As part of the collection process, the colonies of bees lose their homes, food stores, and many lives.
We know that Dr. Bronner's is a company that acts ethically and, therefore, we request that you continue to adhere to the vegan belief that ALL sentient life is sacred and exploitation by humans should be avoided.
We understand that you are using a formula created by Native American Keewaydinoquay and Sue Kastensen and that the beeswax being used is organic and from wild bees in Zambia. We also appreciate that you have gone to some effort to make a quality product with thought and attention to detail. However, for the reasons listed above, your lip balm is not vegan, it does cause the bees harm, and therefore does not align with your principles nor the vegan ethic.
Therefore, we, the petition signers, request that you find a plant-based (vegan) replacement to beeswax and pursue Vegan Certification for your lip balms and all other products.
Resources:
1. Why Honey Is Not Vegan: http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
2. Bee Larva Dying During Wax Harvest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT2sKFfCgq0
3. Vegan Certification: http://vegan.org/vegan-certifications/
4. Dr. Bronner's Lip Balm Containing Beeswax: https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LIPANDBODYBALM/SD0202.html
5. PETA's - What's Wrong With Beeswax: http://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/whats-wrong-with-beeswax/
6. PETA's - The Honey Industry: http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/animals-used-food-factsheets/honey-factory-farmed-bees/