Posted by jamie — 6 July 2010 at 9:56am
-
Comments
Like orang-utans, the future of Sumatran tigers is being jeopordised by the relentless destruction of their habitat by paper giant APP
Even though we've
had huge success in turning companies like Unilever, Nestlé and Kraft
off palm oil produced by Sinar Mas, that only represents one part of the jigsaw and Sinar Mas is still chewing
its way through Indonesia's rainforests.
Palm oil is one of two
plantation products which are driving deforestation in Indonesia, paper
being the other big hitter. Needless to say, Sinar Mas is up to its
neck in the paper business as well and we've compiled new evidence
in a report called Pulping the Planet which shows exactly how its pulp and paper operations are threatening
the forests just as much as its palm oil business is.
HSBC's advertising creates a world where this monolithic financial institution truly empathises with the cultural, environmental and deeply symbolic relationships people have with trees and rainforests. It's a make-believe world, of course. The bank's actions speak far louder than the syrupy voiceovers and twee sentiments in their adverts, so just like BP's logo, they're ripe for a makeover. So why not make one of your own?
Posted by jamie — 27 May 2010 at 3:48pm
-
Comments
Building dams at a Greenpeace camp in Sumatra. International funds and a moratorium would make this a thing of the past
While our campaign to stop HSBC investing in deforestation continues, events have been quickening at the political end. Money and a moratorium have been promised for Indonesia today, both of which are desperately needed to help safeguard the country's forests from further devastation.
A DEAL announced today to protect Indonesia's rainforests still does not protect millions of hectares of rainforest, home to some of the last remaining orangutans, warned Greenpeace.
Indonesia will stop handing out permits for companies to chop down rainforests and drain peatlands for two years under the agreement. But those companies that have already received permission will still be allowed to trash large areas of the remaining rainforests.
And there is concern that there could be a rush to get permits before the government starts its temporary halt.
Posted by jamie — 19 May 2010 at 12:04pm
-
Comments
Given we've turned our sights away
from Nestle towards HSBC,
a few more details might be in order about why we've gone from chocolatey giant
to banking colossus as the next stage in our campaign to stop Indonesia's
rainforests being replaced with palm oil and paper plantations. It's a lateral
step but then our intent has always been to tackle the palm oil industry at
every level, from production to consumption and all points in between.
Chocolate giant Nestle has agreed to stop using palm oil and other ingredients from suppliers that destroy the rainforest home of the last remaining orangutans in its popular snacks such as KitKat.
The move to cut deforestation out of the supply chain of the world's largest food and drink company comes just two months after Greenpeace launched a campaign urging Nestle to stop using palm oil and pulp and paper products from companies trashing rainforests in Indonesia.
You'll never guess what. Nestlé has only gone and agreed to our campaign demands! And you've made this possible. We really, seriously could not have done it without you. Now we need to move straight on to the next big player in the palm oil industry - banking giant HSBC.
Posted by jamie — 15 April 2010 at 6:54pm
-
Comments
Nestlé's AGM has broken up and, while
shareholders feasted on cup-a-soups and instant noodles (I kid you not),
I spoke to Ian and Pat, two of our campaigners who spent all afternoon in the meeting.
According to Ian, the moment our banners popped down was perfectly timed. Nestlé's chair, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, was explaining how well the company had performed over the last fiscal year when noises were heard up in the roof and leaflets began raining down, not at all unlike a shower of cash. The shrieks from those of a nervous disposition as the two banners were unfurled only added to the excitement.
Posted by jamie — 15 April 2010 at 2:43pm
-
Comments
As well as having Greenpeace people in the audience at Nestlé's AGM, we also had a couple of people in a more elevated position - in the rafters of the Lausanne Capitale Olympique, where a couple of climbers were waiting to drop a banner and a cascade of leaflets. According to Ian who's been texting me from the meeting, "everybody shrieked" when the banner dropped.
Meanwhile, outside our orang-utans were being dragged away by the police. Surely they're 'armless?
Posted by jamie — 15 April 2010 at 11:39am
-
Comments
You've emailed, called and sent Easter cards but Nestle have simply not taken enough action to stop buying palm oil and other products from those companies destroying Indonesia's rainforests. So today we're asking you to send messages in to the heart of their annual general meeting in Switzerland where the shareholders will be gathered.
Add your message on Twitter (make sure you include a #nestle tag) or comment in the window below - our campaigners and activists at the AGM are directing shareholders to see your messages on our website.