Coming up with a solution I can call my own has been no easy feat. I understand the complexity of the issues, the underlying factors involved, and the key stakeholders affected, yet I cannot seem to nail down one great idea to end rainforest destruction. So I how do I tackle this problem before it’s too late? Together, (that’s right, I need you too), we can create tangible value for the rainforests.

Rainforest Renewal, in partnership with the Price of Wales and major governments, uses the buying power of consumers and investors (also known as sponsors) to faciliate positive change towards protection and conservation.

How does it work?

People like yourself, looking to make a difference, visit Rainforest Renewal’s website to sponsor a rainforest villager or farmer, and/or the land they live on. By looking at their profile, sponsors are able to choose an area, resource, or person most meaningful to them. This kind of sponsorship means the provision of education, tools, or funding so that they are able sustainably harvest rainforest products to be sold in the marketplace.

Liasons will supervise the farmers to ensure environmentally friendly practices, and to distribute the funds and tools, or to transfer knowledge and education.

When the goods are ready to be sold in the marketplace, sponsors receive a portion of the sales generated (if they exceed a certain amount, depending on the good.) The more people who buy these sustainable products, the more money both you and the farmer make. It’s a win-win, and also reduces the cross cutting issue of poverty.

SVP?

Opportunity: To protect the rainforests from large scale logging and extraction, through the use of Web 3.0.

People: Volunteers - to work with these farmers to distribute the sponsorship packages, and to also ensure that rules are being abided; Retailers – to purchase, to promote, and to sell these sustainable rainforest products, and to stop those that threaten the survival of the rainforest.

Capital: Funding for the website, volunteer training, and business development will need to come from donations. For instance, if organizations like the Canadian Cancer Society see that the cure to cancer could very well be in the rainforest right now, then their incentive to protect it increases significantly. Perhaps even enough so to sponsor Rainforest Renewal.

Context: While there are many other nonprofit organizations trying to save the rainforests, we are in age of social networking and technologically savvy web users that gives Rainforest Renewal  an advantage. It provides potential investors/sponsors with the power of choice; at the end of the day, they can honestly say that they are “saving the rainforests.” In addition, with an increasing awareness about climate change, global warming, and extinction, manu people are looking for easy and fun ways to be a part of the change.