The Man of the Forest
Today, I'd like to tell you about TAISETSU COFFEE's new project, "The Man of the Forest."
At TAISETSU COFFEE, we have always valued the idea of doing "even small things, little by little" for environmental conservation. This is why we have minimized plastic use and opted for simple packaging methods.
For this project, we wanted to be more actively involved in environmental conservation, so we created "original project-exclusive packaging" to donate a portion of the sales to environmental conservation organizations. The project name is "The Man of the Forest."
It means "people of the forest."
Orangutans, which live only on Borneo and Sumatra, are called 【orang (person) hutan (forest)】 = "people of the forest" in the local language.
The issue of environmental destruction caused by palm oil has been a growing concern for me.
While I was thinking about this problem, I came across a photograph that became the impetus for this project.
Here is that photo.
Photo credit: Jayaprakash Bojan
An orangutan, which normally lives in trees, is crossing a river with a frightened expression.
Even without a detailed explanation, it was a heartbreaking sight.
Why did this situation occur? It's because, with the expansion of palm oil production, the deforestation of the jungles where orangutans live has progressed severely, and vast areas are being converted into oil palm plantations, which are the raw material for palm oil. They are forced to cross the river in search of a place to live, even though they know the terror of crocodiles.
Palm oil has already become indispensable in our modern lives.
If you look closely, you'll see that it's used in most everyday products.
Shampoo, dish soap, laundry detergent, many sweets and foods like chocolate, cosmetics, and more.
It's likely that very few people live without using palm oil.
In Japan, it's often labeled as [vegetable oil], and it's even difficult to distinguish whether it's palm oil or another type of oil.
Environmental destruction is not limited to palm oil, but
This time, upon encountering this photo, we learned about the photographer, Jayaprakash Bojan, and contacted him directly.
He won the National Geographic Photo of the Year 2017, and is an Indian photographer based in Singapore whose work has been featured in media such as BBC. His Instagram features photos of orangutans and various other animals. I also learned from his Instagram that he is an ambassador for "ORANGUTAN ALLIANCE," an NPO dedicated to improving environmental issues related to palm oil.
So, I directly asked him, "Would you allow us to use your photos on our drip coffee packaging? And would you agree to donate the sales profit to the 'Orangutan Alliance'?" He readily replied, "OK!"
The Orangutan Alliance is an Australian NPO that operates across borders. It informs consumers broadly about the palm oil issue and communicates approaches for improvement to consumers worldwide. One of its major activities is creating a "logo that certifies a product does not use palm oil."
This is a very clear proposal to help consumers make purchasing decisions.
Those who frequently buy organic products often see logos certifying organic status, but I don't think it's widely known in Japan that there's a logo indicating palm oil-free products.
If we can use such a logo on our drip coffee packaging and inform people in Japan about the palm oil issue, even though it's a very small effort, I believe it won't be in vain.
Our packaging carries a message beyond just "beautiful" or "cute," but
We hope that by adding it to a gift of drip coffee, or eventually having it handled by zoos and environmental facilities nationwide, we can contribute to the interest and active environmental involvement of as many people as possible. This is our starting point.
The article by Hiromi Metzinger, an organic cosmetics researcher living in Germany, also explains palm oil very clearly, so I've provided a link.
The Man of the Forest
It means "people of the forest." Orangutans, which live only on Borneo and Sumatra, are called 【orang (person) hutan (forest)】 = people of the forest in the local language.