CannedWater4Kids (CW4K) and INX International Ink Co. have joined forces to send a rush delivery of drinking water to help in the Hurricane Harvey disaster relief efforts. A truckload of 52,800, 12-ounce cans of fresh, purified water is scheduled to arrive today at a Red Cross Distribution Center near Houston.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall for the first time on August 25 and landed a devastating blow to the Gulf Coast of Texas. A multiple-day event, the Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds was the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in more than a decade. Damage caused by the high winds, torrential rains and record flooding displaced more than 30,000 people and prompted more than 17,000 rescues.
The effects of Hurricane Harvey will impact southeast Texas for a long time. Fortunately, humanitarian efforts from companies including CW4K and INX are helping the efforts in Texas.
“This is the first of many truckloads we hope to send,” said Greg Stromberg, CannedWater4Kids water charity CEO. “Without hesitation, we helped. It was the right thing to do because clean, safe drinking water is a valuable resource. One doesn’t realize how valuable until it is gone.”
“We are doing our part as good corporate citizens,” remarked Renee Schouten, director of marketing for INX. “It is important to be there for people, in good times and in bad. Providing clean water to communities enduring a crisis will aid in recovery and hopefully give some sense of comfort to those in need.”
Added Stromberg, “Coordinating and financing the water delivery was a team effort. We couldn’t have done it without the help of INX International and the Red Cross organization. Their help and support was incredible.”
CW4K is no stranger to disaster relief. Whether it was the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey in 2012, or help for the lead-contaminated municipal water supply in Flint, MI, the 501c3 charity was there with clean, safe drinking water packaged in 12-ounce aluminum beverage cans.
PEFC invites stakeholders around the world to comment on the South African national forest certification system, following its submission to PEFC for endorsement. To give your feedback, head to our Online Consultation Tool. The South African Forestry Assurance Scheme (SAFAS) is one of our newest national members, joining earlier this year in May. This means it is the first time they have submitted their national system to PEFC for endorsement. Make your comments now! The deadline is 9 January 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.
Community forests play an important role within Indonesia. Covering just 2.3 million hectares, these forests support the livelihoods of more than 3.4 million households. The Indonesian national forest certification system achieved PEFC endorsement in 2014, and since then, more than 3 million hectares of forest have become PEFC certified. However, while uptake of forest certification has been successful among large companies, it has yet to take hold in the country’s community forests. To make certification more accessible to the community forests, the Indonesian Forest Certification Cooperation (IFCC), supported by the 2015 PEFC Collaboration Fund, GIZ, and others, has developed new requirements for community forest management certification. Click Read More below for additional information.
“Building viable models of group certification is critical for expanding sustainable forest management and forest certification, especially in the developing world,” said Sarah Price, Head of Projects and Development at PEFC International. “Forests are key to mitigating climate change and possess immense potential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals." "With 30% of the world’s forest area managed locally by families, communities and indigenous peoples, we need to encourage and support local people to manage their forests sustainably,” Sarah continued. Towards this goal, PEFC and Finnish Agri-Agency for Food and Forest Development (FFD) recently convened a field dialogue on group certification in Iisalmi, Finland. The event brought together 25 representatives from 10 countries, to learn about Finland’s long history of small private forest owners, well-established associations, sustainable forest management practices and PEFC certification through group certification. Click Read More below for additional information.