Herbal Essences Fights Plant Extinction

Herbal Essences is partnering with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, an authority on plants, to help save 20 endangered US plant species from extinction in 2020. Debuting at SXSW on March 13, Herbal Essences will make this pledge to raise awareness and inspire others to act on the issue of plant biodiversity loss.
 
An Often-Overlooked Challenge
 
Due to a cognitive bias, people are wired to overlook plants, a phenomenon called plant blindness, and thus, plant extinction is often not addressed. Based on a study from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Stockholm University, plant biodiversity loss is the biggest missed issue of the last decade with experts predicting that one in five plant species are at risk of annihilation. This means that plants are going extinct two times faster than animals.
 
“My research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew concentrates on how to stop biodiversity loss and in so doing realize the potential impact plants can have on a sustainable future – which is why it’s so critical to find solutions to protect against plant extinction,” said Professor Alexandre Antonelli, director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “We’re at a turning point and need to act now.”
 
The 20 plants Herbal Essences will save, in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, represent some of the most threatened species across the United States and include plants such as the Venus Fly Trap, Blue Ridge Huckleberry and Douglas Clover. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank is working with partners like the Center for Plant Conservation in Escondido, California, to help conserve seeds from these species. This effort helps to protect and preserve plants that face natural habitat destruction and safeguard them from extinction.
 
At SXSW 2020, a 60-minute panel discussion, “Biodiversity Loss: The Mass Extinction of Plants,” moderated by Tatiana Schlossberg with change makers from P&G’s Herbal Essences, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the World Wildlife Fund, will explore the causes of accelerating plant extinction and provide solutions to help mitigate it.
 
In addition, throughout the Climate and Social Action track at SXSW, March 13-17, Herbal Essences will bring to life an immersive experience that celebrates a world powered by plants at The Plant Power House destination. Herbal Essences will also have a mural between E 7th St and Webberville Rd in Austin from March 2-29 to further raise awareness for this critical issue.