By buying from Planet Friendly Packaging, you are not only diverting waste from landfill – you are helping to fight climate change. And not only through reducing the use of oil-based plastics, which do emit greenhouse gases – for every order Planet Friendly Packaging receives, we plant one tree with Rainforest Rescue.

What is Rainforest Rescue?

Rainforest Rescue works to protect and restore the Daintree Rainforest. Established in 1998, Rainforest Rescue buys threatened rainforest properties to save and replant them. Their current focus in the Daintree lowland, which is unprotected even through it has the same amazing biological diversity as the uplands. When Rainforest Rescue began, 180 Daintree properties were unprotected. This means they could be bought by developers and cut down to make way for agriculture or infrastructure. Rainforest Rescue has now bought and protected 34 of these properties – with your help.

The Importance of Rainforests

By protecting rainforests, we also protect our oceans and our climate. Rainforests are the 'lungs of the planet'. They take CO2 out of the atmosphere, provide a home for many species that are not found elsewhere, and keep nearby waters clean. The Daintree is the oldest area of rainforest on the earth. It is a unique forest where many of Australia's animals and plants originated, millions of years ago. Kristin Canning from Rainforest Rescue speaks of 'protecting the unprotected' in their vital work with the Daintree lowland. By saving land and reforesting damaged rainforest, the Southern Cassowary has moved from 'Endangered' to 'Vulnerable', one step closer to safety. Wildlife cassowaries created through protecting connected land is helping, and cassowary sighting are becoming more common.

It's Not Just about Rainforests

The #Rainforest2Reef campaign aimed to increase awareness of the link between rainforests and coral reefs. Rainforest Rescue and BioPak partnered in a campaign in 2017 to raise awareness of the link between rainforests and coral reefs. Rivers and streams flow through the Daintree Rainforest into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Natural vegetation in the Daintree means that this is one of the few places where flowing water is unpolluted. Coral bleaching has been a prominent issue in the past few years. Chemicals and sediments from mining and farming run into the water from cleared land, making it harder for coral to fight bleaching. Intact rainforests prevent runoff, keeping coastal water clear. The #Rainforest2Reef Instagram campaign engaged an eco-minded community of coffee lovers. Rainforest Rescue approached artists who had an affinity for the rainforest, from Indigenous artists to aerial photographers and everyone in between. Customers who shared a snap of their #Rainforest2Reef art series BioCup contributed $1 per post to restoring the Daintree and the reef. Through this campaign, BioPak and Rainforest Rescue have raised funding to save 130 square metres of threatened rainforest. Kristin Canning said she was amazed at the support of the artists and consumers who shared their stories of the Daintree and the reef over social media.

Your Impact

Planet Friendly Packaging plants one tree in the Daintree for every order we receive. Through you, we are helping to make a difference to the animals and plants that live in the oldest rainforest on earth, to the Great Barrier Reef, to the planet's climate. To make a difference, head over to our product page to see what BioPak products we distribute.

 Information from Rainforest Rescue. Read about our FSC-certified paper and how one chef is mastering COVID-19 sustainably, on our blog.

Planet Friendly Packaging acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by COVID-19. Stay safe.