Q: I don’t take honey but I bought some candles, before realising they contain honey with wax. Should I use them?
A: Since they were bought by accident, and since there is no way to return the honey, I think it’s okay to use them – or they would be wasted. But it’s good to more mindfully reduce demand for non-vegan items in future. Then again, if possible, maybe the candles should be returned to show a vote of no support for such products? You might already know this, but this website explains why demand for honey harms many bees: http://vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm [Views on veganism (non-usage of animal products) can be seen at http://moonpointer.com/index1.php?itemid=2449]
This might be shocking, but some candles contain beeswax, which is made from the material that bees use to make the hives of bees. As such, usage of beeswax (and honey) is similar to stealing, strictly speaking – because it is taken without permission, while exploiting the bees continually. Beeswax IS part of the homes of bees, while honey IS part of their stored food in their homes. A reason I don’t use candles anymore is because it is hard to tell if some candles contain beeswax.
Q: I use Ikea tealight candles for shrine offerings everyday. Does it contain beeswax?
A: According to Ikea’s website (http://ikea.com.sg/catalog/product_display.asp?art=90108360-5173-11-26-711993875-63419353), it’s vegan, as we can see from the ingredient listing (paraffin, vegetable wax and cotton). That said, it’s best to burn less candles. As long as we remember the significance of offering light, light can still be offered – in less pollutive ways – e.g. using an electric lamp that is turned on and off periodically, with usage of a timer being optional. The offering of light is a reminder to light up and spread the brightness of WISDOM, while the continual offering of many lights in ways less friendly to bees, the environment and human health is ironically not very WISE!
Bought a standalone tealight candle version at Bishan’s NTUC ($13 plus). Runs on batteries. (I only use rechargeables!) Here’s the text on the box –
– Better than the real: lifelike candle looks with a flickering light, encased in cool glass
– Fires your imagination: without any risk of flames, fumes or melt
– Glows on and on: runs up to 50 hours on two AAA batteries… again and again
– Unique (LED) algorithm for real sputter effect
– Enhanced safety for domestic usage
– Switches on and off, simply by pressing the candle unit
But the real reason I bought it is b’cos it’s more environmentally-friendly and health-friendly. Here’s bigger versions of the candles:
http://www.ryness.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=11711