Monday, March 9, 2015

None of your beeswax


Below is an advert I stumbled across created by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). Please be forewarned, it's quite a message:


image coutreys of EJF

Effective and terrifying, oui? It honestly felt like some hand reached out from the computer screen and slapped me. I loved it. Not because of some gross Fifty Shades reason, but because it was truly a shocking statement. The creators of this ad only makes us realize just how dependant we are on bees for our survival, and where we'd end up without them. We use what they provide for just about everything and anything you can imagine. This rings true particularly in the culinary world. From honey to beeswax to the actual food that's created, there isn't one item that hasn't relied on bees.

There are companies out there that are actively trying to change this. To get our hands off our enormous dependance on bees, and create items that we can use that takes the stress off of them. Yesterday, I was looking for wax for my wood cutting board - yes people, the board not only needs oil for maintenance, but wax to keep it looking sharp in your kitchen. I know with the increased modernization of home and professional kitchens, these same kitchens have become more of maintenance issue than ever before - but you have no choice, you have to clean it.

So I was online and stumbled across this wax product by a company called Caron and Doucet



image courtesy of Caron and Doucet

Whenever I see a product that claims to be environmentally friendly, I get suspicious, It's not that I don't believe it can be true, but so many companies make that claim only to be found out by some 20/20 or CBC Marketplace sting investigation that the product is FAR from environmentally friendly.

This company, however, is different. I checked out their website and surprise, the owners Stephen Caron and Paula Doucette actually provide full disclosure of the product ingredients right on the webpage. And the best part about the wax, or any additional products I'd like to purchase? No beeswax was used but instead, a vegetable (vegan) rice bran alternative. Plus, I must admit, I love the design. I'm a sucker for products that package well. Check it out and other cool kitchen maintenance items that are seriously environmentally friendly here.

The issue over the decline of our bees and the work that's needed to ensure their survival has become a hot one recently. There are a lot of stories floating around as to what we, as consumers, can do to prevent their compete eradication. It does get tiresome when you don't know what to believe, but talk to any beekeepr and they will happily provide you with real statistics about what's going on with the bees and their hives. Like global warming, air pollution and overfishing of our lakes and oceans, the decline of the bee is very real.

Get informed. Try to use to products that do not play a part in bee decline and better yet, just be kind to our bees.

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