| Do you know where
your charcoal has come from? Charcoal made from endangered tropical
forests is still being imported from countries such as Indonesia.
If you want to help protect these diminishing areas of natural fascination
look out for the Forest Stewardship Council logo or even better
buy locally produced charcoal. By choosing BioRegional Local Charcoal
in one swift purchase you can save tropical habitats, prevent British
butterflies from becoming extinct, provide jobs in British Forestry
and halt global warming, even as you toast your burgers. BioRegional
produces an environmentally sound, locally produced charcoal which
is available from B&Q stores nation-wide.
Hunting for charcoal in other
outlets you may well be restricted to charcoal which has destroyed
a tropical mangrove swamp in it’s production, and contributed
to global disruption as it was shipped half way around the world.
Enough to leave a nasty taste in your mouth.
BioRegional’s charcoal is
independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
as coming from well managed forests.
BioRegional Local Charcoal is
produced by a 40-strong network of rural woodland workers across
the UK. BioRegional co-ordinate the local deliveries to stores across
the country, therefore cutting the charcoal miles associated with
your barbecue. This is a unique arrangement which means a national
store can have a local product on it’s shelves without having
to deal with 40 different suppliers.
Alan Knight, Head of sustainability
at B&Q said:
“B&Q is happy to support this initiative for another year,
we are happy to
do this because for us local sourced charcoal makes commercial sense
- and
that is the key for local sourcing”
In October 2001 HRH Prince Charles
launched the business in the community/IGD - Guide Growing Rural
business, he said:
“If we can encourage more local sourcing I am sure we can
make a considerable difference to the viability of farmers and specialty
producers”
If you enjoy walking in our woodlands
you can do no better than to buy the charcoal made in them, saving
their wildlife and providing jobs.
BioRegional charcoal is a better
buy even without the green credentials it lights quicker and burns
hotter avoiding the usual scene of waiting two hours before the
BBQ is ready.
With the help of BioRegional and
B&Q it is time to have a barbecue with a clean, green conscience.
Notes
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the highest international
environmental standard for forestry, guaranteeing sustainably managed
woodlands. The scheme is supported by WWF (the World Wide Fund for
Nature), the world’s largest independent conservation organisation.
BioRegional Local Charcoal is
available in B&Q stores nationwide as own-brand “Locally
Produced Lumpwood Charcoal” and will be stocked from mid-March
to mid-August.
BioRegional Local Charcoal is
made from wood harvested by re-introducing traditional woodland
management in the UK, known as coppicing. As a result of coppice
management, woodland flowers flourish and act as food plants for
threatened species such as pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies,
at the same time creating new habitat for woodland birds like the
Nightingale. Coppiced woodlands have been reduced as a habitat by
95% since 1900.
Coppice is the pearl-bordered
fritillary butterfly’s principle habitat, and this species
has declined by 75% since 1900, with a dramatic recent decline in
the last 15 years of 52%. The pearl-bordered fritillary is now one
of the 116 priority species in the UK Governments Biodiversity action
plan. It is the fastest declining species in the UK.
Imported charcoal can be made
from endangered tropical forests, particularly mangrove forests.
Over 50% of Indonesian charcoal is made from mangrove. These habitats
are disappearing fast; there has been a 40 – 50% loss in total
mangrove area over the past 50 years (World Conservation monitoring
center 1992)
The BioRegional producers supply
locally therefore reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of transport
by up to 85% compared to imported charcoal. This helps halt global
climate disruption. Necessary transport is also covered by a ‘Climate
care warranty’ whereby BioRegional pays a small premium on
fuel used which is then invested by the climate Care scheme into
renewable energy, forest restoration and energy efficiency.
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