The Amazon rainforest is in danger of dying out. That’s the dire prediction from the World Wide Fund for Nature. In fact, one researcher, a quantitative geographer from the University of Florida, has even put a date on the Amazon’s impending death: 2064.
As a company that cares deeply about the environment, we can’t afford to sit back and let this happen.
So, we’ve thrown our support behind the Madre de Dios Rainforest Protection project in the Amazonas region, on the Eastern slope of the Andes in Peru.
It’s a true biodiversity hotspot and the habitat for numerous endangered wildlife and plant species. Further, several indigenous tribes call the forests their home.
However, this significant area is at risk of losing its wealth of natural resources due to deforestation caused by ranchers and farmers, not to mention climate change!
It’s a common story across the largest jungle here on planet Earth.
Carbon offsetting and how it works
Carbon offsetting is about taking responsibility for your carbon emissions by reducing them elsewhere.
Almost everyone that uses Sendle knows we’ve been 100% carbon neutral since day one. We purchase carbon credits from our partner South Pole to offset the emissions of every single package sent via our shipping service.
Carbon offsets essentially protect and restore ecosystems, known as nature-based solutions.
These commonly include forest protection and reforestation activities, as well as removing carbon from the atmosphere and locking it in water ecosystems (known as blue carbon) and in soil through regenerative agriculture.
According to South Pole, there has been a surge in voluntary carbon offsetting by companies of all shapes and sizes this year.
Close to 40 million tons of CO2 emissions were offset globally via South Pole in the first quarter of 2021—a whopping 80% increase from 2020.
Sendle’s carbon credits are helping fund and support reforestation and biodiversity projects all over the world including the Madre de Dios rainforest.
Helping Peruvian farmers prosper from an environmental mindset
Our partner South Pole has set ambitious sustainable development goals for the Madre de Dios rainforest project, including turning local farmers into environmental warriors.
And the results are outstanding! To date:
- 460 people have been trained in forest protection
- 300,000 hectares of significant rainforest has been protected
- 2,000,000 tons of CO2 is being removed each year
- 400 local families are benefiting from sustainable nut production
Rehabilitating the forest has led to the creation of a sustainable and valuable local Brazil nut industry. Over 400 families of smallholder Brazil nut concessionaires manage 300,000 hectares of forest.
The project manager on the ground has introduced the local farmers to modern processing equipment and sustainable harvesting practices so they can produce high-quality Brazil nuts without impacting the native forests.
They’re even selling their nuts internationally!
They also have access to microcredit financing for each harvesting season as well as training so that sustainable practices are carried on by future generations.
This local Brazil nut industry has created jobs and raised incomes for all the families involved.
On the environmental side, a carbon revenue share is generated for every hectare of forest protected, which is distributed amongst the smallholders.
At Sendle, we’re thrilled to be supporting a rainforest protection project like Madre de Dios that's having a positive and profound impact on people and the planet.
Happy World Environment Day!
Photos courtesy: South Pole
