Volunteer Video Campaign to Save the Rainforest

 

We caught up with Helen Buckland, Director of the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) to find out more about the rockin' video that marketing volunteer John Griffith produced to help campaign against the deforestation of the orangutans' rainforest home.

Q: What is the action that you want the film's viewers to take?
A: We need to convince the UK government to scrap plans to subsidise the burning of palm oil in power stations. Palm oil is an ingredient found in up to half of processed foods, as well as being used in cosmetics and as a biofuel, and the palm oil industry is responsible for the destruction of huge areas of forest in Sumatra and Borneo. Creating even more demand for palm oil by burning it to generate electricity would be very bad news for orangutans, rainforests, local people and the climate, and what's worse, it will be funded through our fuel bills. We are asking people to sign a petition, but also to contact their MPs about this issue. We have all the information and template letters on our website (see STOPtheROCs.org) - it's essential that the government realises that people do not want their fuel bills to subsidise the destruction of rainforests.

Q: How did you conceive of the film idea?
A: We knew that a decision was coming up about the government’s proposals, and we were thinking of ways to spread the word and get people engaged and outraged. The Apollo 440 track 'Stop the Rock' came on the radio, and it was a eureka moment! The subsidies we're trying to stop are called Renewables Obligation Certificates, or ROCs, and the track really grabs your attention, making the film memorable.

Q: How did you get John Griffith involved in the project?
A: I sent John a message through Pimp My Cause letting him know what we wanted to accomplish and asking if he would be willing to use his skills to help us fulfill our vision. John was happy to support our film idea and he took on pretty much every aspect of the project, including the soundtrack and voice-over, and we are absolutely delighted with the result.

Q: Where did the beautiful photos used in the film come from?
A: Many of the images in the film are from rescues our team in Sumatra have conducted to help orangutans that were in danger as palm oil plantations expand into forests. A lot of the images were donated by fantastic wildlife photographers who want their pictures to be used to raise awareness of what we're losing. Sumatran orangutans could be the first Great Ape to go extinct if we don't take action now to protect their rainforest home. Increased demand for palm oil is leading to more and more deforestation - and it's just madness because, as if the impact on critically endangered species and local people wasn't bad enough, burning palm oil for energy is worse for the climate than fossil fuels - it doesn't make sense on any level.

The Sumatran Orangutan Society works to protect orangutans, their forests and their future. They do this by raising awareness about the importance of protecting orangutans and their rainforest home; supporting grassroots projects that empower local people to become guardians of the rainforests and restoring damaged orangutan habitat through tree planting programmes, and campaigning on issues threatening the survival of orangutans in the wild.