Green up together for a better planet

Wooden furniture, pencils, paper, books, crayons, shampoo, chocolate…and bathroom tissue. These were some of the responses from young children who were asked to name the everyday products that come from forests. And the list would go on and on if the teacher didn’t call a stop. This is a classroom scene from the “Love Forests for Life” course sponsored by Kimberly-Clark Taiwan, as part of its efforts to promote sustainable forestry and environmental protection awareness.

In response to rising concern on global warming and to promote public awareness on sustainable forestry and green consumption, Kimberly-Clark Taiwan joined hands with Chinese Society for Environmental Education (CSEE), a local environmental non-profit association established by a group of eco professionals and environment advocates, to kick off the “Love Forests for Life” forest conservation awareness program to elementary school students two years ago. Right before Earth Day in April, Kimberly-Clark Taiwan has once again partnered with CSEE to bring the concept of “Love Forests for Life” to more young children.

Designed by CSEE, the 80-minute program presents concepts including endangered natural forests, global warming, sustainable forestry, global certifications for forest products and green consumption in a fun and engaging way. The free courses have reached 4,000 fifth and sixth graders at 51 schools over the past two years, and the goal is to train another 2,000 students and teachers this year.

In the activity called “fighting for habitat,” students role-played the endangered species living in forests and are forced to fight for their habitat due to deforestation caused by human beings.

Students learned to recognize the FSC logo and realized the raw materials used in products carrying these logos were from sustainable sources.

“Protecting global forest resources has been one of the top priorities in our global sustainability strategies. In Taiwan, Kleenex brand proudly launched the first bath tissue product certified by Forest Stewardship Council, the world’s most widely recognized forest certification scheme, back in 2009 to realize the global sustainability goal,” said Randy Jusuf, Managing Director, Taiwan. “Two years later, we took the commitment one step further by assuring consumers all Kleenex branded tissue products are FSC-certified. Today Kleenex remains the only tissue brand to receive FSC certification for its full line-up in Taiwan.”

Taking a step beyond this, Kimberly-Clark has also taken the lead to promote the awareness of FSC certification, sustainable and responsible forestry management and green consumption through partnerships with local environmental organizations. Kleenex branded facial tissue box is also the first tissue product that received Taiwan’s national Green Mark in 2012.