Follow the Frog
The first ever Rainforest Alliance Week to take place on 19-23 September 2011
Next week, from 19-23 September, global conservation organisation, the Rainforest Alliance, will host the first ever Rainforest Alliance Week – a social media campaign calling on consumers and businesses throughout the UK to Follow the Frog and take a small step toward a more sustainable lifestyle.
Whether it’s a cup of coffee, a bunch of banana, or a ream of paper, our everyday shopping items potentially wield enormous impacts, particularly on the environment and farmers, their families and communities around the world.
Rainforest Alliance’s External Communications Manager, Stuart Singleton-White said: “As consumer demand for ethically-sourced products continues to rise, now is the time to focus on how we can all adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Rainforest Alliance Week is an opportunity for businesses and consumers to join us on our sustainability journey.”
Here are three simple ways consumers can get involved:
1) Follow the Frog
Everyone has the power to support a healthier planet. Learn why consumer choices matter – watch the “Follow the Frog” video then share it with family and friends! Follow @RnfrstAll_UK on Twitter and “like” the Rainforest Alliance on Facebook to get the latest environmental news and tips for a sustainable life.
Why this matters: Agriculture and livestock are responsible for 70 percent of global deforestation. By choosing products that bear the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM seal, consumers are supporting farms and forestlands that curb deforestation and provide habitat for wildlife, while protecting the rights and well being of workers and their communities.
2) Shop the Frog
When shopping, look for the Rainforest Alliance’s little green frog on everyday items like coffee, tea, chocolate, fruit, flowers, paper and furniture. And when planning a holiday, use SustainableTrip.org to find hotels, lodges and tour operators in Latin America and the Caribbean that are good neighbours to the community and the environment.
Why this matters: The Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal and the Rainforest Alliance Verified™ mark are assurances that goods and services were produced according to strict standards for environmental, social and economic sustainability. When choosing goods stamped with the little green frog seal, communities are being rewarded for their commitments to sustainability and investing in their futures.
3) Spread the Word
We want consumers to tell their friends and family how easy it is to support a sustainable future. Share the “Follow the Frog” video with friends, look for the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal in shops, post photos of your favourite seal-bearing products on the Rainforest Alliance Facebook page, write your own blog about why you choose certified… Get creative!
Why this matters: Small actions lead to big change. If everyone takes just one small step to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, we can collectively make a huge impact, protecting our planet’s precious resources for generations to come.
Find out the latest Follow the Frog news through the Rainforest Alliance’s twitter, Facebook and blog feeds:
· @RnfrstAll_UK
· www.facebook.com/RainforestAlliance
· www.thefrogblog.org.uk
ABOUT THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE : The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them to transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travellers. From large multinational corporations to small community based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily.
For more information visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.
