By Making change in the world is hard work — some times decades-long hard work. But with the right combination of strategies, experience, tenacity, and allies, it is possible to achieve victories that have a lasting impact. This year, Rainforest Action Network took on corporate titans and secured real wins for the world’s forests, the climate, and human rights.
None of these victories would have been achievable without you. It is our strength as a network, the power that comes from a passionate, committed, and ever-growing community of allies, that has made the amazing work of 2010 possible.
Check out what you did as part of the Rainforest Action Network in 2010…
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1. WALL STREET TURNS ITS BACK ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL COAL MINING
Eight of Wall Street’s biggest banks committed to limit funding to mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining projects. This was a major step in curbing the practice of blowing up America’s historic mountains and poisoning drinking water all for tiny seams of coal. This particular victory also landed RAN in a front-page article in The New York Times. |
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2. EIGHT BOOK PUBLISHERS PROTECT INDONESIA’S RAINFORESTS
Eight top children’s book publishers pledged to eliminate controversial Indonesian paper fiber from suppliers Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) from their supply chains after RAN released our “Rainforest-Safe Kids’ Books” scorecard. |
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3. GENERAL MILLS LEADS CALL FOR RESPONSIBLE PALM OIL
RAN’s campaign against General Mills concluded in September 2010 when the company issued one of the strongest palm policies to date. General Mills has committed itself to getting all of its palm oil from responsible sources by 2015, supporting the call for a moratorium on peat forest conversion, requiring free prior and informed consent (FPIC) from impacted communities, and canceling contracts with controversial suppliers. |
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4. CHEVRON MARKETING CAMPAIGN PUNK’D
RAN “punk’d” Chevron, squashing the launch of the oil giant’s multimillion-dollar “We Agree” ad campaign. Ad Age called it one of the top 10 marketing fiascoes of the year, along with the flight attendant who inflated the slide on a JetBlue plane, the Apple employee who lost his Iphone4 prototype, and Christine O’Donnell. |
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5. CARGILL GETS REAL ABOUT RAINFORESTS
After being the target of three years of campaigning, Cargill, the world’s largest privately owned corporation, initiated a full supply chain assessment as well as certification audits of all its palm oil plantations. That’s one big step forward for this corporate giant! |
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6. EPA TAKES A STAND ON MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL
The EPA issued a landmark decision strengthening the guidelines it uses to approve MTR permits. This was the most significant administrative action yet taken in the US to address the issue. The EPA also announced its intent to veto the permit for the largest MTR mine site in West Virginia, Spruce Mine. This is the first time the EPA has flexed its veto power. |
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7. GUNNS TIMBER COMPANY STOPS LOGGING OLD GROWTH
Australian timber giant Gunns broke ranks with Tasmania’s forest industry, stating that it will pull out of native old-growth forest logging altogether. |
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8. UNITED STATES ENDORSES UNDRIP
With President Barack Obama’s announcement in December that the United States will “lend its support” to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the U.S. has at last joined the global consensus on this critical human rights issue. Activists across the country have been working towards this for over 30 years. But, as many Indigenous leaders are saying, the U.S. supporting UNDRIP is something to celebrate, but much work remains to be done. |
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9. RAINFOREST ACTION NETWORK TURNS 25 IN STYLE
For the last 25 years, RAN has taken on corporate titans and secured real wins for the forests, climate and human rights. While our strategies have evolved and our staff has grown, we’ve always maintained the bold edge and nimble approach that makes us one of the savviest environmental action groups in the country. |
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10. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TAKE ACTION TO HOLD CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE Over the year, RAN inspired and mobilized literally hundreds of thousands of people to take action both online and offline. In addition to our incredible, ever-expanding activist and donor networks, RAN’s Facebook community tripled in 2010 and @RAN’s Twitter following grew by five times. This means tens of thousands of people are staying up-to-date and taking action daily to protect forests, communities and the climate. |
From protests in front of Cargill, Chevron, and the EPA to online petitions and emails to bank executives and CEOs, RAN could not take on corporate giants and win without the growing support of our members and donors. Thank you so much.
We look forward to working with you to achieve even more victories in 2011!