It will take a “green army” to help end deforestation and plant a future. Every day, every person can make a difference. All it takes is a little focus on how you can reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and, of course, replant.
Around the world, throughout 2011, stylish and affordable Avon Hello Green Tomorrow fundraising products are raising funds to help restore the forests of South America and Indonesia. All proceeds will support the work of our partners The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund.
Avon will contribute all proceeds from the Hello Green Tomorrow merchandise sales to The Nature Conservancy for continuing efforts in the Atlantic Rainforest in South America and to the World Wildlife Fund for their reforestation projects in Indonesia (Borneo and Sumatra). These leading organizations will plant and restore the trees as well as monitor the restored forest, ensuring the long-term benefits into the future. Learn More About Our Partners
“Of all the places WWF works, the rate of destruction in Borneo and Sumatra defies the imagination. Devising a solution equal to the weight of humanity’s pressure on this rich place will take persistence, creativity and collaboration. We are grateful for the support and leadership of partners like Avon who realize we all have an important role to play in meeting this challenge.”
"With support from Avon, The Nature Conservancy has made significant progress in restoring Brazil's Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered and biologically diverse forests in the world. The Atlantic Forest is home to tens of thousands of plant and animal species - many found nowhere else on Earth – and it is the source of drinking water for 70 percent of Brazil's population. It is critical that we save the Atlantic Forest for both people and nature."
Choose a shower over a bath and keep your shower brief. A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water (265 liters), but a five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons (38 to 94 liters). Also install a water-efficient showerhead to control the water flow.
In much of the world the spring gardening season is starting. The US Environmental Protection Agency offers helpful tips for safe and environmentally friendly gardening on their website: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/home.htm#lawn
When making vacation travel plans, select “green” hotels or destinations, and see if your airline, train or car rental company offers the option to purchase carbon offsets. Eco-conscious tourism is good for the traveler, the local destination and the planet.
Summertime offers great opportunities to recycle in the garden. Just a few ideas: use soft strips of old t-shirts to tie plants to support stakes, reuse plastic ice cream containers as flower pots and plant seeds in egg cartons (the cardboard ones can be put in the ground along with the seedling and dirt and will decompose).
Make your picnic biodegradable! Warm weather means outdoor dining at picnics, the beach or camping. If you prefer disposables, avoid plastic cutlery and plates and select biodegradable and compostable options made from materials such as bamboo or even potatoes. You can easily find sources through search engines or at your local shops.
