Tag Archives: Girl Scouts of the USA

It’s been almost a month since Girl Scouts Madi & Rhiannon asked for your help in their campaign to remove rainforest destroying palm oil from Girl Scout cookies.

After receiving a stunning 70,000 letters, Girl Scouts USA is now issuing a stock reply that lets us know they are paying attention, but their response contains only baby steps in the right direction. While still refusing to meet with Madi & Rhiannon, their spokeswoman recently stated, “we all want the girls to stand up for what they believe in. They’re trying to make changes, and we applaud them for that.”  

Unfortunately, applauding won’t protect rainforests, CEO Cloninger. We think it’s time for an intervention by Girl Scouts USA Honorary President Michelle Obama.

www.ran.org

Will you join us in asking Michelle Obama to use her influence as Honorary President of Girl Scouts USA to make Girl Scout cookies rainforest friendly by next cookie season?

For Earth Day 2010, Michelle Obama told a group of children that the Obama household is “trying to save the tigers,” a request her daughter Malia frequently makes of her father.

The critically endangered Sumatran tiger is at risk of extinction. Logging to grow the palm oil now found in nearly every Girl Scout cookie, is largely to blame. The connections between industrial-scale palm oil plantations, tiger extinction and Girl Scout cookies are clear.

For Earth Day 2011, help us turn up the volume on our message to Girl Scouts USA by asking Michelle Obama to demand Girl Scout cookies be rainforest safe.

Thanks for your help getting controversial palm oil linked to tiger extinction out of Girl Scout cookies!

For the forests,

Ashley Schaeffer

Rainforest Agribusiness Campaigner

Twitter: @probwithpalmoil

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Girl Scout Cookies

04/15/2011 Nativegrl77

Yes, we love Girl Scout cookies. They support the important work of the Girl Scouts, and they’re ridiculously tasty.

Here’s the problem: Almost every type of Girl Scout cookie contains palm oil, which is commonly harvested through the clearing and burning of irreplaceable tropical rainforests.

This method harms the global ecosytem, endangers local indigenous populations, and threatens the survival of orangutans, humankind’s closest relative.

It would be easy to change — Girl Guides, an equivalent organization in the United Kingdom, recently eliminated palm oil from its cookies and has even offered Girl Scouts USA help to do the same.

Girl Scouts Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, both 15-year-olds from Michigan are urging Girl Scouts USA to make the switch. Click here to add your name to their petition.

Five years ago, while doing research for a Girl Scouts Bronze Award, Madison and Rhiannon were horrified to learn that the cookies they sold contributed to this serious global problem. The two girls have written letters and made presentations to Girl Scouts USA, and even launched something called Project ORANGS (Orangutans Really Need and Appreciate Girl Scouts).

These girls are the embodiment of the Girl Scouts’ mission to build “girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” But instead of becoming poster children for the organization, Girl Scouts USA is still giving their campaign the run-around.

Madison and Rhiannon need our support. They’ve launched a campaign on Change.org with the help of the Rainforest Action Network. Please sign their petition today:

http://www.change.org/petitions/make-girl-scout-cookies-rainforest-safe?alert_id=SkDUpVJLTF_YKVwqoGhho&me=aa

Thanks for taking action,

– Judith and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

the Panther … the RAN newsletter

03/10/2011 Nativegrl77

In the past month we’ve seen a major wave of power shifts across the globe. From Sidi Bouzid to Cairo to Wisconsin, The People are taking power out of the hands of those who’ve proven unworthy to wield it. This is a rare and precious moment in time when people like you and me have both the inspiration and the momentum to command our future. What’s it gonna be?

Table of Contents

*Powershift 2011

*Keep the Pacific Northwest Beautiful

*Girl Scouts Fight for What’s Right

*Disney Destroys Magic Kingdom

*Chevron Found Guilty

*People Power Round-Up

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Powershift 2011

From April 15th-18th, over 10,000 young leaders will converge on Washington, DC to stand up for our future, to reclaim our democracy from big corporations and push our nation to move beyond dirty energy sources that are harming the health of people and the planet. Rainforest Action Network will be there in force. Join us.

The Young Activist’s Guide to Building a Green Movement and Changing the World

by Sharon J. Smithttp://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4OmzaavFOQZfsyGe10QTT2CTi529yBdgh

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Keep the Pacific Northwest Beautiful

Across the U.S., carbon-spewing coal plants are being shut down and permits for new plants are getting blocked left and right. Coal producers desperate for new markets are gearing up to ship tons of coal overseas, and are vying to build dirty coal ports on the beautiful Pacific Northwest coast. Protect the West Coast, block the coal ports before they get built

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Girl Scouts Fight for What’s Right

From Thin Mints to Samoas to Tagalongs, Girl Scout cookies are full of deliciousness. Sadly, they are also full of rainforest-destroying palm oil. How depressing. Are eco-minded cookie lovers supposed to give up the sublime joy of Girl Scout cookie season? Not if scouts Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen have anything to do with it. Get behind these Girl Scouts to get palm oil out of Girl Scout cookies for good! http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=byDshiyfhbSEuZn3Rf3noGCTi529yBdg

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Disney Destroys Magic Kingdom

Mr. Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” We agree. Though in Mr. Disney’s absence, his company is printing children’s books that threaten a truly magical kingdom, Indonesia’s remaining rainforests. Tell Disney Publishing to protect Indonesia’s rainforests and choose rainforest-safe paper now.

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Chevron Found Guilty

After 18 years of litigation, Chevron has been found guilty of polluting the Ecuadorean Amazon with billions of gallons of oil waste. Facing a historic judgment of more than $8 billion, Chevron has vowed not to pay to clean up its mess. The oil giant has enlisted a cast of crooked professionals to sabotage the justice process, and we intend to expose them. Meet Chevron’s Human Rights Hitmen. http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wSJYl9nMMmLy5kksUjTlamCTi529yBdg

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People Power

Over the past four weeks, we’ve witnessed incredible moments in people’s movements around the world. Here’s a glimpse into some of the latest revolutions and a taste of those to come…

*Kentucky Has Risen

*Egypt’s Youth Revolution

*Wisconsin Police Join Protesters in Madison

*Citizens United: Time to Amend the Constitution

*RAN, 350 and Greenpeace Call for Mass Non-Violent Action Now