Rainforest Alliance - Helping People, Wildlife, and the Planet
Sunday, April 13th, 2008What is the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a member based organization dedicated to helping people, wildlife, and the natural environment.
Based in New York City, the Rainforest Alliance has offices throughout the United States and the world. The Rainforest Alliance works with people who depend on the land for their livelihood. It aims to help them become more sustainable in the way they work the land. In particular, the alliance helps these people grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
The Rainforest Alliance has programs in many environmental areas such as forestry, agriculture, and tourism. It also offers third party certification and verification for forestry companies who opt for sustainable forestry.
Rainforest Alliance’s Approach
The Rainforest Alliance believes that it is possible to create a sustainable society. A society that protects the planet and provides sustainable livelihoods for its people.
To achieve this, it aims to transform the current destructive market system into one that values sustainable production, sourcing, consumption and equitable trade.
The Rainforest Alliance believes that the sustainable management of all businesses requires the following:
- Clean air and water
- Healthy biodiversity and wildlife habitat
- Reduction of waste and toxicity
- Reduction and mitigation of global warming
- Dignified and safe living and working conditions, with adequate food, education and health care for workers and their families
- Equal opportunity for all
Furthermore, it believes that the following is required in order to achieve a sustainable market:
- Sustainable sourcing, supply chain management and public accountability are standard practice
- Products carry prices that reflect their real environmental, economic and social value
- Sustainable producers, small and community-based businesses have equitable market access
- People demand and have access to high-quality, sustainable and healthy products and choices
- Financial and insurance sectors support sustainable operations and penalize unsustainable ones
- Governments support sustainability through procurement, incentives, and regulations
- Civil society sources sustainably
To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance, check out the official website.
