Busy bees and innovators Lush Cosmetics are on a mission. Known for their distinct approach to environmental stewardship and sustainability, the UK-based brand is proudly kicking off Pollinator Week. Partnering with Pollinator Partnership, the flagship Queen West shop was looking stark at the kick-off event earlier this week.

WITHOUT POLLINATORS WHERE WOULD WE BE?

Pollinators are the chief engineers of our gardens and agriculture. A world without bees, butterflies, insects and birds would be an empty and vacant existence. Pollinator’s health is our health. Their work is critical to our diets, our landscapes, and our future. Everything from climate change to food insecurity rests on their tiny wings.

With empty shelves acting as a dramatic reminder of this precarious relationship, Lush Cosmetics is making a bold visual statement, backed up by a significant charitable donation. 100% of the sale price of Rose Butterfly Bath Bomb (minus tax) will go towards raising $150,000 in support of pollinator protection organizations for Pollinator Week, running June 17-26th.

Illustration courtesy of Lush Cosmetics

Highlighting the need for a serious course correction, Lush invited guests in to learn more about this symbiotic relationship. Lorraine Johnson, author and cultivation activist passionately spoke of the need to support urban gardening for protecting these precious pollinators. Simply put, “at a human and ecological level, we are not okay unless everyone is okay.” She has a few ideas for creating that buzzing home garden that bees crave.

Pollinators-2022-Unstock-Lush
Image courtesy of Lush Cosmetics

IF YOU BUILD IT BEES WILL COME

Attracting the right mix of pollinator pals to your garden, deck or even windowsill is easy. Lorraine suggests the following:

🐝  Leave grass long, especially in early spring. Have you heard of ‘No Mow May‘?

🦋 In fall, leave stems and stalks intact, this provides homes for bees in the winter months

🌻 Plant beautiful native flowers to provide habitat and food

Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites on every plate. These busy bees are a huge component of Lush Cosmetic’s ethical beauty ethos. This campaign spread across all of Lush’s 270 bricks-and-mortar shops and online brings awareness on how to help pollinators. Injected into the stark display cases were ingredients that comprise many of Lush’s top sellers. Cup o’ Coffee without the coffee? Sleepy Body Lotion without the lavender? Simply put, putting pollinators first is putting yourself first.

Grab your bath bomb to support this important initiative. Look for custom seeded paper in-store with a mix of baked-in on-invasive plants including Black-Eyed Susan, Catchfly, Snapdragon and Sweet Alyssum, which can be planted to add natural habitat to attract pollinators. 

Lush Cosmetics is located at 312 Queen West and at over 270 other stores globally and online by visiting lush.ca.