my thoughts on beeswax...
Ok, so here is my opinion on beeswax"¦I try hard not to use it, and would rather that no one use it.
Bees are smarter than we think, and have a lot going on in their nervous systems. Like many animals, bees have a very good sense of sight, smell, and communication. According to University of Arizona's agricultural department, bees can see six "groups" of colors, including ultraviolet, a color that humans can't see. They can also smell each other's pheremones, and rely on smell to signal danger, as well as to identify who is part of their hives. They use their antennae to sense the space around them, which comes in handy when they are building comb. Bees experience life, do what they can to avoid pain and harm, and go after things that they want! Yes, they are bees, but they are creatures that deserve their natural, god-given right to life... and they are the most gifted pollinators!
Beekeepers truck nearly 2.4 million hives all over the country to track seasonal crops. This stresses the bees out and bombards them with pesticides and diseases that are present at the different locations where the trucks stop en route. Beekeepers also go to nasty extremes to keep colonies going. They will replace honey (what bees eat) with corn-syrup or refined sugar. Access to only a single food source weakens bees' immune systems. In fact, studies show that bees who pollinate 5 crops have stronger immune systems than bees who pollinate just one crop, or subsist on just one type of nutrient. Beekeepers will also cut off the Queen bee's wings, keep her in a cage to stay away from a hostile hive (Queen bees are often transplanted to foreign hives from their home hives), or kill her off when egg production slows. And they will often use smoke to force the bees out of their hives.
In 2006 millions of bees across the country vanished from their hives. There is a great PBS documentary about this that researches why and what happened. You can check it out here. The whole deal is just not at all friendly - the bees are kept constantly working and not living their bee lives as they would if they remained undisturbed.
All that said, I do need to give a disclaimer here. I would personally rather support a natural skin care line that has beeswax in it than a company that is vegan but uses tons of chemicals. That's just my personal feeling. You have to remember that these chemicals we see in so many products on the market are hurting the planet, hurting us, and hurting animals as well (by destroying their habitats). The more we support natural products, the less damage we do to the environment, to ourselves and to animals.
Of course, I prefer that a beauty product line be as natural as can be, and be vegan and free of beeswax...but sometimes a pretty great line will have one or two ingredients that are less than ideal (i.e. carmine or beeswax"¦both not nice"¦). Now, we can write letters to them and ask them why they use these ingredients and ask them to use something else instead. Maybe they've never tried to do it another way and with your help, will consider alternatives. Either way, it's always good to be an engaged consumer.
In the end, it's all about finding the best possible solution, under all given circumstances. I will continue to search for the perfect solution and appreciate the best ones or the best-for-now ones in the meantime. This is why some of the products I have listed around the website have beeswax in them or insects – because they are the "best for now" options. And to be honest, I had gotten so excited about all natural and lanolin-free stuff out there that I forgot to check the insect/beeswax factor, so thank you, community, for reminding me. I have tons of respect for insects and definitely don't want to use or harm them unnecessarily.
A word about organic beeswax – regulations are not well defined, and because bees often forage 1-2 miles from their hives, it is hard to control their contact with pesticides. Companies producing organic beeswax do claim that they keep their bees away from chemicals or pesticides. But as far as the bees are concerned, the "organic" label does not address practices that are hurtful to the bees – only practices that would be potentially harmful to humans (e.g. exposure to pesticides and chemicals). That's an important distinction to keep in mind whenever assessing natural or organic products.
Of course there is so much more for me to learn on this subject – but this is where I sit with the info I have now. Stay tuned as I learn more, and please share any insights you have here!
48 comments
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The real problem is the self serving ego nature.
The secondary problem is that it is fueled by capitalism. -
Here goes... I live in Indiana. I keep bees but, hold on... it is to propigate the native bee species for my area. My queen is named Midnight and she is quite friendly. We do harvest honey once a year. If we don't they over produce and end up looking for a new location to live. That isn't good when your hive tries to swarm(leave), especially when you are trying to return the area natural population back to survivable and thriving standards. The greatest care is given to protect my bees. I have a fruit orchard and a 1/2 acre vegetable garden. I keep them busy pollinating all they care to, until winter arrives at which time I make sure they have enough honey to survive another season and if they don't, I feed them. More people should try to attract bees to their gardens and if they live remotely enough, to keep them or have a respectable bee keeper put a hive on your property. It is quite the same as a wildlife preserve or zoo trying to bring back an endangered species. Okay off my soap box. Thanks for listening. Bees are our friends. :) Bee kind to life. :)
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I agree that bees as well as all sentient beings on the planet are subject to exploitation and that supporting exploitation for profits and luxury are not investments I go out of my way to make ever.
Once I heard someone say "power corrupts..... and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
and I considered the stanford prison experiement and can see how this can be true in some cases. Not all though. I think that perhaps absolute decadance corrupts absolutely. Absolute entitlement perhaps... but power inherant allows one to choose based upon ones personal motives, ethics, morals and values.
My sister in law is a beekeeper and for many years would go out to peoples homes who found they had hives and collect the hives up and bring them home and take care of them.
My neighbors also keep bees and I know many people who raise bees.
I do not know in any absolute terms weather this is something to be lauded or stopped but I do know scale makes a big difference for me. I have lived my whole life being a no meat no dairy diet person (although for some periods I have eaten some dairy and I have eaten meat before in my life at different opportunities for different reasons). I have made efforts to not eat refined products and sugars as much as possible and also to maintain eating foods that I could eat before supermarkets.
My aversion to using bees labor to support industry and profits is karmic to place it simply.
Our mentalities support our treatment and social systems on fundamental levels.
When I shop at wal mart I support creating more wal mart jobs for people like me. For me its primarily a matter of scale.
I love beeswax and occasionally get one or two pieces of modeling beeswax.
The industrializational harvest of most things is ... too much. We are moving into an era where huge production scales just arent going to be sustainable or neccesary (I hope). -
Also, I do not use honey or other bee products because it is so hard to find local ethical beekeepers, but if this guy was local, I might be persuaded to try his bees' products.
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Here is an interesting blog post by a raw vegan nutritionist.
http://kimberlysnyder.net/2010/12/15/meet-my-beekeeper-something-all-vegans-should-read/
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"...... And to be honest, I had gotten so excited about all natural and lanolin-free stuff out there that I forgot to check the insect/beeswax factor, so thank you, community, for reminding me. I have tons of respect for insects and definitely don't want to use or harm them unnecessarily"
What is necessary harm? ( or as above ...to use or harm them unncessarily)
Given than I am uninformed regarding the practice of bee-keeping, I must assume that harvesting beeswax can be or is detrimental to the bees. Perhaps there is a humane way of harvesting that would all ow all concerned to win (ie bee & consumer). If not, I am in agreement....find a natural alternative!
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Yeah, it can be difficult reading something without the context of tone and expression. It certainly does happen. No big.
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Sorry, didn't mean to lose it... just seems that sometimes when I make innocent comments to add to the conversation they get misinterpreted. But I guess it is easy to do with online forums, and it looks like I did it to you this time. Sorry again. :o/
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So, actually, I feel that was a little judgmental of me, as I was looking at the larger picture from a corporate, mass consumer, and environmental persepctive, and not intending comments towards individuals.
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And when I was talking about people pillaging our planet for greed, I was referring to those who make all the money off of doing it, those at the top of the food chain, most of whom who don't really care about any of us or the planet or they wouldn't be doing what they're doing.
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french_momma - I wasn't directing my comment to you, I actually think it's great that there's a company that will remove bees humanely, because otherwise the alternative is to exterminate them. I was just saying that in general I personally agree with those, like Cheryl, who think we shouldn't exploit bees, and that it can be hard to know if the honey you're buying is ethical because for most there is no way to really know. As I also stated, I believe people are going to have to humanely raise bees, for a while at least, or we may end up without them, and then where would we be? It wasn't a personal dig at all, I was just speaking generally to the topic.
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I'm glad that I know the issue because it does come up. I made every choice individually and it added up to being vegan, it didn't come from an overall philosophy. It's kind of funy how much I get asked if I use honey or silk. But I never really cared because how often do I need honey for something and I don't buy like silk gowns all the time. I think the little honey jar in my cupboard has been there for two years. Let's not get too upset at each other here. We shouldn't get frustrated by receiving new knowledge. Its a journey and if you don't want to go there than don't, but don't let this issue make you give up on all the compassionate choices that you've made. They really do make a big difference.
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I agree with all of that as well, however, that has nothing to do with the point of my post. I was simply stating that in the case of a bee infestation (which unfortunately happens quite often in the city) there is a kinder way of removing the bees than extermination. Again, let me state- I do not buy or use honey! Nor beeswax if it is at all unavoidable (which it is 99.9% of the time).
The smaller volume beekeepers, in their own way, are trying to help preserve the bees. Of course, I agree it would be much better to let the bees nest naturally the way they were designed to, and if we vote with our dollars by choosing other natural sweeteners instead of honey that will go farther than any bickering on the subject will.
It saddens me when instead of all banding together, a few vegans feel the need to be 'superior vegans' and judgemental of even people who hold the same ideals and feelings.
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I agree with Cheryl to a certain extent, though not necessarily the delivery. Bees are absolutely necessary for pollination, but not for providing honey. Unless something dramatic happens in nature, people are going to have to help the bee along, but that means doing so humanely and not for our own purposes of profit and consumption. The reality is, probably more than 99% of the population would not have a realistic way of knowing how bees are cared for by the beekeeper they buy honey from, there aren't a lot of reliable ways to learn about who's doing things humanely and who's not. But, when it comes down to it, I will choose wax over chemicals if I really have no other alternative. However, I have limited most of my beauty products, so luckily I don't have to make too many choices (though I have yet to find a good moisturizer).
It would be great if people who pillage our planet thought even a little bit outside of themselves and their current greed to realize that if they exploit everything, there will be nothing left to sell. And it won't matter how much money you have if the planet is rapidly dying. Saving the planet, in a way, is the ultimate in selflessness and selfishness - a healthy planet for every living being and future generations, and save the planet for yourself.
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Thanks, Feb- hers covered the entire ceiling of her dining room! In her new house-
somehow the inspector missed this last winter while the bees were dormant. It isn't like the bees could stay there! And nest building in treated lumber can't be better for the bees than a hive in the country.
Hee hee, love the flies'n'honey metaphor!
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@ Cheryl- before you label me as 'selfish' perhaps you could actually READ my post and see that I do my best to avoid beeswax and may I tell you we stopped using honey in our household over a year ago when I went vegan. (Not that it is any of YOUR concern what my family does in OUR home.) I was simply pointing out that there are beekeepers out there who do there best to take care of the bees more kindly, and that there is an alternative to either extermination or living with a bee infestation in one's home... unless you have a better (ie, affordable and realistic) solution. I only wanted to share what my friend did because I think it is encouraging that more people are at least moving their thoughts in that direction.
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Doris K - I couldn't have put it better myself - thank you for highlighting this critical issue. Being judgemental and sarcastic in any response is not kind and I agree that the type of extremism is counterproductive to the kind movement. When you speak of all the insects that are dependant on the vegetables that get pulled, you remind all that in the chain of life, something gets taken away from something before it can be given to another. In order for vegetables to grow, the soil gets depleted of nutrients to give life to that plant so that we as well as insects can eat. For the cycle of life to be respected, we honor the soil by composting and putting back what we have taken. What I take from the kind life and movement is that being conscious about not inflicting harm makes for empowered kind choices. That part of this is joyous and liberating. Scathing and judgemental opinions defeat the purpose - what is the point of defending the rights of bees while you attack fellow human beings - is it not about tolerance and respect for all? I loved your post and your point is critical, superiority, judgement, self righteousness and extremism doesn't belong here, to have an extreme point of view in a life that depends on a cycle of death and rebirth and interconnected energy systems just doesn't make sense. Nature is a complex system and it doesn't matter how you eat, something has to die so that we can. Choosing to eat in a way that doesn't inflict unnecessry harm is beautiful. Please don't dismay, keep this kind and ignore energy that wants to use this to prove some form of superiority and to attack and ridicule others. That is not what the Kind Life is about as far as I understand it, I agree with you.
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I try to avoid honey and beeswax, but I will occasionally buy items that contain bee products if I can't find a bee free alternative. I'll buy the veggie sushi at Whole Foods even though it has honey in it and I will choose wheat bread with honey in it over white bread without honey when eating out at a non-vegan place. I feel guilty about it, but I'll do it. At home I use agave nectar in the place of honey and Vegenaise's Vegan Honey Mustard dressing in the place of the real deal.
I have searched and searched for a vegan lip balm that keeps my lips from being painful, swollen and chapped, but NOTHING works. I've tried every brand at whole foods and vegan essentials, not to mention Hurraw. They all made me get worse instead of better. My lips got so bad that I couldn't even kiss my boyfriend! TheraNeem saved my lips. It's all natural and organic but it contains, you guessed it, beeswax. It's actually the only non-vegan product the company makes. If there were a vegan lip balm/chapstick that worked for me I would switch over in a heartbeat!
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I suppose we will just have to ask the bees what they think about it. I know if someone used drugs on me to make me relax while they stole all that Ive worked my life for and replaced it with cheap imitations I'd be pretty upset!
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"and brought them to his country honey 'farm' where he kindly and sustainably cares for his bees." UM NO! there is no such thing as "kindly & sustainably" stealing honey from bees. Bees will defend their honey with their LIFE obviously it is worth dying to protect. Clue #1 that we should NOT be consuming it. Clue#2 is it ok to steal from your neighbor as long as you treat your neighbor "kindly?" NO! We are destroying the bee population. Get over your selfishness and choose alternatives. (agave, brown rice syrup, vegan maple syrup) (Most maple syrup is not vegan BTW)
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@ Karen- Here is his website that my friend posted on facebook http://houstonbeeremoval.com/index.html.
He tries to move them in the least stressful manner possible, depending on the size of the hive. In my girlfriend's house, it was such a huge hive, the only way to extract the majority of them without getting swatmed too badly to do the job was to vaccum them up
but he assured her they never see any dead bees doing this, and that he would be sure to preserve the queen and move the whole colony together to a new hive he would make for them. -
Are there any sustainable/Kind bee keepers out there? What would be a kinder way to ensure that our crops have bees to pollinate them? It seems that our "wild" bees are endangered due to all the pesticides and thus farmers rely on beekeepers for bees. I'd love to know more about the beekeeper you mentioned, French_Momma
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Wow. What a great read! Really enjoyed the facts here Alicia, thank you for posting this.
I slowly became vegan this year and only just found out then that the bee process is not at all "kind" or "good". I think this is why many DON'T take notice of eating honey or use products with honey in them- or candles- perhaps a little ignorance for not looking into the subject (as I once didn't) or simply just lack of knowledge.
Either that or some people just don't care. Shame on them.
Also, many people perhaps see bees as a "pest" because they sting. But what they don't realise is that by using their natural products, humans are killing them and destroying their habitats- therefore, eventually they will become extinct and then the big question stands- Who is going to pollinate our pretty flowers? Many people don't realise that bees serve a very good and beautiful purpose to the world.
Lets spread the word and perhaps in time a difference- even a small one- can be made!
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