13th October 2011
Social Studies 10 –
Current Events
Assignment
Constance Ang
- Mattel has announced that it will stop using paper
products from companies "that are known to be involved in
deforestation.”
- As the largest toy company in the world, they have
released a global policy whereby its suppliers are instructed
to avoid wood fiber from controversial sources.
- The policy not only sends a message to other companies
that “to be a responsible business you must be vigilant about
keeping deforestation out of your products, but also aims to
increase the amount of recycled paper used in their
business.
- Forensic tests show that packaging for Barbie dolls, as well as for toys sold by
Disney, Hasbro and LEGO, contains Indonesian mixed tropical hardwood
(MTH), a rain-forest-derived product.
- Greenpeace launched a global campaign featuring Ken breaking up with
Barbie against Mattel for its connection with paper packaging derived from
Indonesian rainforests.
- Protests: Activists repelled down the face of the headquarters of Mattel and
hung the giant banner as seen in the picture, another was dressed as Barbie
and drove a bright pink bulldozer half a block from the scene.
- Mattel being very active in online
marketing, with Barbie having 2.2 million
followers on her Facebook page received over
500,000 emails from the public after the
launch of Greenpeace’s campaign.
“Barbie’s dirty secret is that her packaging is made from the rain forests of Indonesia,” said
Rolf Skar, senior forest campaigner for Greenpeace USA. “Mattel has shown no due
diligence. It buys paper without asking where it’s coming from.”
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/
campaigns/forests/asia-pacific/barbie/
Company in question for deforestation: Asia Pulp & Paper
- One of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies notorious for
destroying Indonesian rainforests, including the habitat of the endangered
Sumatran tiger.
- Has two APP pulp mills found on the island of Sumatra supplied printers
making Mattel packaging in Indonesia and China, where the company
manufactures many of its toys, including some sold under Disney’s label.
- Non-governmental environmental organization with 2.8 million members
and offices in 41 countries, has waged successful campaigns against
multinational corporations such as McDonald’s, Kimberly Clark,
McDonald’s, Nestle, Unilever and Burger King concerning links to
deforestation in their supply chains.
- World’s largest and most influential toy company (hence
targeted by Greenpeace)
7th June 2011 – Greenpeace Campaign
launched. When Ken broke up with
Barbie.
5th October 2011 – New global policy
by Mattel with “sustainable sourcing
principles” issued.
(not really).
Q: Would you take part in such campaigns
with such causes knowing you might get into
trouble with the law?
Q: How else do you think social media can be
used to help solve the various environmental
issues we are plagued with?
In conclusion I think the efforts made by Greenpeace are very
worthy of recognition because its cause is honestly to save us and
our world. Indonesia’s deforestation has made it the world’s
third-largest source of man-made greenhouse gases after U.S.
and China, making it a major contributor to global climate
change. We should not be risking our home planet just for the
sake of toys. Without a sustainable world to live in, what purpose
would toys have at all?
It is unfair to destroy the homes of all the animals in Indonesia’s
rainforest; in the act we are also destroying our own home. It is
predicted that nearly half of the remaining natural forest in
Indonesia could be cut in the next two decades so I sincerely
hope that more companies will stop any association with APP.