Wash your hands for a cause with Dr. Bronner’s limited edition cannabis soap

Hand washing in COVID times just got much more exciting for cannabis enthusiasts thanks to Dr. Bronner’s. The best-selling brand of natural, hemp-based soap debuted a limited edition terpene-infused take on its classic bar formula in celebration of Sun+Earth Certified’s crowdfunding campaign.

Sun+Earth is conducting a nationwide consumer education and fundraising initiative, which launched on November 20 and aims to raise awareness about the importance of regenerative organic agriculture and the need to shift the cannabis industry away from corporatized, industrial indoor growing warehouses toward a more sustainable system.

Initially seeking $25,000, the Emerald Triangle-based nonprofit organization’s campaign will subsidize the cost of certification for small-scale farmers and allow for expansion to more states, making sungrown cannabis more widely available to consumers. The campaign quickly reached its goal and is now asking for an additional $15,000 through Dec. 20, 2020.

Sun+Earth was founded on Earth Day in 2019 by cannabis industry leaders and experts on a communal belief that “consumers around the country deserve to have the confidence that their products were grown regeneratively with the highest integrity possible.”

In less than two years, Sun+Earth certifications have quickly increased to 42 cannabis farms in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin — demonstrating the consumer demand for cannabis cultivated by small-scale family farmers. Sun+Earth is among a growing list of cannabis certifications within the industry. For example, the Organically Grown Cannabis certification will be coming to market in 2021 and will serve as a baseline standard for legal organic cannabis production nationwide.

According to a 2012 academic report, cannabis grown indoors in the U.S. uses the same amount of energy it takes to power 1.7 million U.S. homes, and generates greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 3 million cars. More recently, the 2018 Cannabis Energy Report from New Frontier Data found that growing indoors uses 18 times more electricity and has a carbon footprint nearly 25 times larger than outdoor farms.

Dr. Bronner’s Sun+Earth Cannabis Scented Pure-Castile Bar Soap — of which only 1,600 units were made — is the Vista, Calif.-based, family-owned company’s legacy formula, with the added magic of terpenes from Sun+Earth Certified hemp grown at East Fork Cultivars in Takilma, Oregon. The earthy, enticing scent evokes an unmistakable cannabis aroma and is completely free of THC or CBD (as such, it does not offer the therapeutic properties that are associated with topical cannabis products that contain cannabinoids).

“Dr. Bronner’s is deeply engaged in the global movement for regenerative organic agriculture, against industrial chemical agriculture,” said David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s and co-founder of the cannabis brand Brother David’s, in a statement. “In alignment with those values, the Sun+Earth Certified program addresses systemic problems in the cannabis industry, which is dominated by energy-intensive indoor operations and practices that rely on toxic chemical fertilizers, rather than models that rely on sunlight and healthy living soil. We need to support cannabis farmers and their communities, that are being displaced by industrialized cannabis.”

A longtime advocate of cannabis legalization and drug policy reform on a federal level, Dr. Bronner’s adds Sun+Earth to its growing roster of philanthropic partners. In 2019 alone Dr. Bronner’s dedicated $7.4 million alone in donations and sponsorships; in 2017 it committed $5 million to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). And through its limited-edition Heal Soul! label, 10% of sales in October supported MAPS, Oregon Psilocybin Initiative, Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative, Heroic Hearts Project and VETS: Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, Inc.

“We are grateful for Dr. Bronner’s support and hope this effort will significantly grow our organic cannabis community,” added Andrew Black, executive director of Sun+Earth Certified. “Consumers are increasingly committed to making sure their cannabis products are not only healthy for their bodies and free of toxic chemicals, but also cultivated in a model that gives back to the Earth and farm communities.”

In addition to Dr. Bronner’s, the Sun+Earth Certified effort is endorsed by noteworthy cannabis and environmental advocates including Harborside co-founder Andrew DeAngelo and Moon Made Farms owner Tina Gordon with other prizes for the crowdfunding campaign supplied by visionary artist Alex Grey, eco-clothing manufacturer Ital Collective and more. Paired with Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Organic Hand Sanitizer, the Sun+Earth Cannabis Scented Pure-Castile Bar Soap is available for a minimum donation of $25.

Katie Shapiro can be reached at katie@katieshapiromedia.com and followed on Twitter @bykatieshapiro.