SKIN | EN VOGUE
BEE THE CHANGE PhilanthroBee champions one of the world’s most valuable— and vulnerable—creatures. by Noemi Florea
IN THE MIDST OF VAST AGRICULTURAL LANDS and well-watered suburban lawns, tiny saviors are struggling to keep their wings aloft. Bees are responsible for pollinating much of our plant life and keeping our food sources thriving, and the dual threat of toxic chemicals and a changing climate has them facing extinction in many parts of the world. Enter PhilanthroBee, a brand that is bringing together local conservation programs in San Jose, California, to support bee life near and far. Founded in 2018 with their first product line released in April 2020, PhilanthroBee was the natural culmination of founder Michelle Scheumeister’s lifelong “love, appreciation and respect for animals.” With extensive experience in owning and caring for animals, Scheumeister recalled how “falling in love with [her] neighbor’s bee hive” and using its natural output to aid with her own animals’ ailments was the initial catalyst of her present-day healing skin care line derived from all-natural bee products. By combining her own family’s bee conservation efforts with the programs offered by local organizations such as the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose, Scheumeister and PhilanthroBee are now on the path to “let our community know that our bees are in dire need of support. We have lots of colonies that are collapsing globally, and if our bees die, we’re four years right behind them,” Scheumeister says, describing how the widespread extinction of bees may collapse our global food supply and impact our own survival. To combine bee conservation with a commercial skin care line, PhilanthroBee operates a large bee apiary in their partner Happy Hollow Zoo’s facilities, where educational initiatives including classes on conservation and bee-keeping can happen in the same space as natural product production. The skin care line is sold in PhilanthroBee’s store in the San Jose neighborhood of Willow
Glen, and profits are then redistributed to support rangers in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as “pollinator parks” in San Jose. As a small business championing sustainability throughout their supply chain, Scheumeister and her team are setting the bar for the industry to evolve to better practices. “One of our biggest things at PhilanthroBee is really pushing that plain-ingredient, plainpackaging movement,” Scheumeister described, alluding to the synthetic-free nature of their product line. PhilanthroBee packaging is made of compostable carboard, and Scheumeister stated that she’d like to see less plastic and more compostable materials across the skin care industry. “We’re pushing forward to let others know that, ‘You can do this, too.’ If a small company like us can do zero plastics and go
towards a carbon-neutral footprint, those bigger companies can do the same.” Beyond supporting eco-friendly brands like PhilanthroBee, there are simple steps we can all take in our everyday lives to support conservation efforts. As Scheumeister says, avoiding the use of pesticides and taking the time to plant pollinator-friendly plants can go a long way towards providing a hospitable environment for bees to thrive in. Scheumeister describes how customers often ask her questions about conservation, pollinator programs, and other sustainability tips, and believes “I know we’re doing something right and we’re on to something, because people are asking questions and that’s when you know you have something good.” To learn more about the PhilanthroBee skin care line and reach out with questions, visit philanthrobee.com. DT
THE REFORMERS 2021 DOWNTOWNNYC
83
