June has definitely been the month of the rainforest here at the RSPB. Despite not reaching any new or ambitious targets, the Rio+20 Earth Summit really got people talking about how we can meet our ever growing needs without damaging the natural environment that supports us all, and rainforests are one of the places where this struggle is most apparent. With an area the size of a football pitch being cut down every four seconds, primarily for commercial gain, the future of these amazing places hangs in the balance between conservation and consumption.
The good news is you don’t have to be a world leader, the head of an international corporation or an NGO to do your bit to protect rainforests – there’s plenty of small steps you can take too.
Making sure you keep rainforests in mind when you shop is a good way of doing your bit. Looking for the FSC logo when you’re buying paper and wood products, and choosing products with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal are both quick and easy ways to making sure your shopping basket is rainforest friendly. Also think about whether you really need to buy something. To find out more, check out the Autumn issue of Birds magazine to find out how what we buy impacts on rainforests and for more tips for doing your bit to help.
We’ve spent the last couple of weeks speaking to people all around the country about what they can do to help rainforests whilst they shop and loads of people have made pledges to step up – whether it’s always buying Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee or using less shampoo in the shower.
If you happen to be shopping at Tesco, it’s not just the stuff you put in your basket that could make a difference – it’s your green Clubcard points too! Tesco give you green Clubcard points whenever you do something that’s good for the environment (so reusing a bag, recycling a printer cartridge, etc) and you can put those points to good use by donating them to Together For Trees, our partnership with Tesco that aims to protect rainforests around the world. 150,000 people have already signed up since the partnership’s launch in February and together they’ve already generated almost £45,000 to help fund our rainforest work. A big thank you to all of you who have already stepped up by signing up!
If you shop at Tesco and you want to step up for rainforests, but you haven’t signed up to donate your green Clubcard points yet, then click here to find out how to get involved.
If you’re keen to step up for rainforests by helping support our work to restore and protect them, then you can also donate to our rainforest appeal. To donate please click here.