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Greenpeace: Top U.S. Shoe Companies Contributing to Amazon's Destruction
Even the most socially responsible companies may not be so responsible after all, according to a three-year Greenpeace investigation into the continuing destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
The demand for leather goods and beef by Nike, Timberland, Adidas, Ikea, Wal-Mart and Honda, among other corporate leaders, is helping to fuel the growth of the Brazilian cattle industry on forestland that has been illegally cleared, the environmental advocacy group writes in its latest report, "Slaughtering the Amazon".
Greenpeace’s main concern: The growing cattle industry in Brazil is driving deforestation, and deforestation is a leading contributor to climate change.
Some manufacturers may be using Brazilian leather without realizing it. That's because cattle hides from Brazil typically are sent to one or more factories for processing before being purchased by a consumer company. In many cases, end-users like Nike or Timberland are buying leather from factories in Asia or Italy, not Brazil, said Lindsey Allen, Greenpeace’s Forest Campaigner.
In the United States, Greenpeace is focusing attention on the footwear companies, in part because they have been leaders on environmental issues and in part because they produce popular consumer goods.
“U.S. consumers can add their voice to this global discussion about the problem and the solution," Allen said.
The footwear companies have been slow to respond to Greenpeace's concerns, Allen said, which may reflect their need first to understand their role in the issue as well as its importance to their customer base.
Timberland said today that the company does source some leather from Brazil, but it said it has been assured that the leather does not come from deforested areas.
“Our Brazilian supplier strictly complies with Brazilian laws in its business, including regarding labor, environmental and fiscal aspects, and also adheres to Timberland’s own Code of Conduct standards,” the company said. “We will continue to work to ensure that other business partners that source from Brazil use the same vigilance in their sourcing practices that we do.”
Katja Schreiber of Adidas said her company's suppliers had also assured Adidas they only source "marginal volumes" of raw hides from Brazil and "those who do so fully support the National Plan of the Amazon Forest Clearing Prevention and Fighting."
"We share the Greenpeace concerns regarding the environmental impact of illegal deforestation of Amazon rainforest on our planet’s climate," Schreiber said. "We will further investigate and continue to engage withour suppliers in the matter."
Adidas and other footwear makers are part of the Leather Working Group, which promotes environmentally-sound business practices. Greenpeace believes that such coalitions can be effective but that individual companies are more likely to drive change because they understand their own supply chains.
What Greenpeace hopes is that all the companies will voice support for ending cattle farming on deforested Amazonian land, and that they do what they can to help stop the destruction.
Greenpeace wants to hear them say, “Yes, we think it’s important to make sure the leather we buy is not driving deforestation in the Amazon and therefore we’ll work with you to come up with a solution,” Allen said.
Following the Supply Chain
Leather and beef from Brazilian cattle farms ends up in U.S. markets and around the world through a complex supply chain.
It begins with three major companies in Brazil that, according to Greenpeace, have received $2.65 billion in government funding: Bertin, JBS and Marfrig.
These companies run slaughterhouses in the Amazon region that ship beef and hides to factories elsewhere for further processing before the finished goods are sold into “an unwitting global market” to be made into shoes and leather car seats, Greenpeace says.
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How are we ever going to improve things?
Someone asked, "How are we ever going to improve things with the culture and lifestyles we are so entrenched in?"
Why is it that so many questions are asked? and concerns shared? when the questions were answered and the concerns addressed some two thousand years ago?
Why is it no one will take heed and listen?
Simply, because that which it calls itself "religion" has had it's way with the multitudes, and especially the educated, those who were taught that reading, memorizing and then passing a test on that which is in a book is the source of "knowledge" ;-(
Sadly all that is "known" is but "the colored marks written on a dead tree" ;-(
Such "head" knowledge is a prime reason that today, natural Creation(land, air, water, vegetation, creatures) is being destroyed, and that which is of The Spirit(Light, Truth, Love, Peace, Life, Hope, Grace, Mercy, Faith, etc.) is being perverted ;-(
Sadder yet, those who "see" religion for what it is, yet allow religion to have it's way with them ;-(
The prime purpose of that which is called "religion" is to insure that "The Way of Truth will be evil spoken of" ;-( (2Peter2:2)
Once again, some two thousand years past, the answers to what Truly matters were revealed".
"How are we ever going to improve things with the culture and lifestyles we are so entrenched in?"
"Love not the world, neither the things in the world!" (1Jn2:15)
And, "Whoever loves this world is the enemy of GOD!" (James4:4)
For "The WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one!" (1Jn5:19)
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me(The Messiah) before it hated you." (John15:18)
And it was promised that "evil men and seducers would grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived". (2Timothy3:13)
The Messiah did not come to make this wicked, evil world a better place!
So, for the "entrenched", "The Call" was given and yet remains, "Come out of her, MY people!" (Revelations18:4)
"Come Out" of this wicked, evil world and it's systems of religion!
"Improve things"? No! Simply, "Come Out" from among those who are destroying and perverting Creation! No longer be of those who believe they "know" what is best! Be of those who desire above all else, "Father(Creator), not my will, But THY Will Be Done!"
I believe the "imag"ination of those reading this, and who despise "religion", is
quite active now, "imag"ining, "ah, this one's just another catholic or christian, must be but another one of those "religious" hypocrites!"
Or the religious ones reading this, even as they have their portion in the destruction and perversion of Creation, "imag"ining, "Who does he think he is?", "Nobody's perfect!", and a favorite line of both the religious and irreligious, "You can't judge me" ;-( When in Truth it is their own Creator given conscience that convicts them!
Truth is, "Pure religion and undefiled before GOD The Father is this, to visit the fatherless(those who know not their Father[Creator]) and widows(those who have not experienced The Messiah and The Power that raised Him from among the dead) in their affliction and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world." (James1:27)
Simply, all other "religion" is impure and defiled!
Sadly, there are many who have allowed what is called "religion" to have it's way with them, and so it is that many who "see" the destruction and perversion of Creation return to their "mother earth", yet sadly never experience The Oneness that is in and of "Our Father", HE WHO IS in Heaven ;-(
Yet there is Hope!
For Miracles do happen!
Hope is there would be those who experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "see" The Light that is The Messiah, and they will take heed unto The Call of "Our Father" to "Come out of her, MY people!"
They will no longer be of those who are destroying and perverting Creation.
They will "see" that "A Simple and Spiritual Life is the only Life that will survive!"
Forever.......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(destruction and perversion) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one" indeed and Truth.......
Truth is never ending.......
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