Global outdoor lifestyle
brand Timberland committed today to plant 50
million trees around the world by 2025, as part of its pursuit of a greener
future. This bold goal builds on Timberland’s longstanding commitment to make
products
responsibly,
strengthen communities, and protect and enhance the outdoors. One key area of
focus has been tree
planting;
since 2001, the brand has planted more than 10 million trees worldwide.
According to new
research led
by Swiss University ETH Zürich, the restoration of trees remains among the
most effective strategies for climate change mitigation, and a worldwide
planting program could remove two-thirds of all the emissions that have been
pumped into the atmosphere by human activities. Trees help to clean air by
removing carbon and releasing oxygen into the air; cool the air through
evaporation; prevent erosion and save water, and more — which are just a few of
the many reasons healthy rainforests such as the
Amazon
are so vital to the health of the planet. Over the next five years, Timberland
says it will support multiple reforestation
initiatives
around the world in support of a greener future.
“At Timberland, we’re conscious of the impact our modern way of life has on the
planet. And we believe as a global lifestyle brand, and as individuals, we have
a responsibility to make it better,” said global brand president Jim Pisani.
“Trees and green spaces help improve the quality of our planet, as well as
individual
wellbeing.
Our commitment to plant trees is a real, measurable way to act upon our belief
that a greener future is a better future. We encourage people everywhere to join
the movement by taking their own actions — small or large — to be heroes for
nature.”
Dozens of volunteers gathered to help Timberland green Detroit's Lincoln Street Art Park on June 3, as part of SB'19 Detroit | Image credit: Sustainable Brands
To kick off its pledge, Timberland has launched its largest-ever global
campaign, “Nature Needs Heroes,” calling on consumers around the world to
join the movement by taking simple, small actions for a healthier planet. The
campaign celebrates 12 eco-heroes who are making lasting, positive change for
the environment and their communities. Each hero dons new styles from the fall
2019 collection, with city greenscapes as the backdrop.
The campaign is comprised of robust media activations across print, digital,
out-of-home, social media and PR. The brand will also engage the global
community to be heroes for nature through a series of tree planting and greening
events, including:
-
A three-day pop-up park and urban greening event in New York City, where
consumers can meet the heroes, make pledges to live a greener life and
enhance their local community
-
A REMADE workshop in Shanghai, China, featuring Timberland’s Global
Creative Director, Christopher Raeburn; and APAC eco-hero Will Pan
to advocate responsible design and call on consumers to take simple actions
for a better future.
-
Greening events in London, Paris, Milan, Berlin and
Amsterdam, where Timberland will work together with the communities on
local greening projects and call on consumers to take their own actions for
change.
To help realize its 50 million tree commitment, Timberland will partner with a
range of organizations that support the environment through large-scale
regreening and tree-planting efforts. These organizations include
the Smallholder Farmers Alliance,
GreenNetwork, TREE AID, the UN Convention to
Combat Desertification, Connect4Climate – World Bank
Group, Justdiggit, Las Lagunas Ecological
Park, Trees for the Future, American
Forests and Treedom.
Projects in year one will focus on Haiti, China, the Dominican Republic,
the United States, Tanzania and Mali – including support of the
Great Green Wall — an
African-led movement to grow an 8,000km line of trees across the entire width of
Africa to fight climate change, drought, famine, conflict, and migration.
“We are thrilled to have Timberland join the Great Green Wall movement – an
emerging new world wonder that promises to grow hope for millions of people in
the face of the 21st century’s most urgent challenges,” said Mr. Ibrahim
Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification.
“I believe anyone can be a hero for nature just by doing something small on a
daily basis,” said Inna Modja, international musician, activist, and
ambassador for the Great Green Wall. “Recycle every day, buy fair trade
products, research clothing, food, and coffee — at every step you can do
something. If you are aware of these little things you can do, you will find
yourself doing more and more.” A native of Mali, Modja is one of the eco-heroes
being featured in the Nature Needs Heroes campaign.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Sep 5, 2019 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST