WWF is presenting a new unprintable PDF format to save trees

WWF came up with an interesting idea that will help us to save paper: An unprintable new PDF format, which is named after them -WWF.

Why we need a new PDF that can't be printed? They explain:

Every day, entire forests are cut down to make paper. Paper that’s senselessly used to print out documents all over the world: websites, emails, even entire books, in spite of the fact that it's easy to avoid printing by saving the document as a PDF. But even PDFs can sometimes also be printed out. So to stop unnecessary printing and encourage a new awareness about the use of paper, we’ve developed a new, green file format: WWF. A format that can’t be printed out. A simple idea that saves trees. Join in. Decide for yourself which of your documents don’t need printing - and save them as WWF.



You can download the new WWF format from their website, though at the moment it is only avilavle for Macs (it should be available to Windows soon).

I like this idea. We definitely print too many files than we really have to, and these sort of formats can make it easier on us to decide not to print, simply because we can't.. What do you think? Will you be using the WWF? We'll be happy to hear your thoughts about it.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Wal-Mart joins WWF's initiative to eliminate illegal logging

Forests need strong allies to win their survival battles. This week it seems they have a new powerful friend that might help. His name is Wal-Mart.

Environmental Leader reports that the world's largest retailer has become a member of the Global Forest & Trade Network (GTFN), a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and improve the management of valuable and threatened forests. By becoming a member, Wal-Mart pledges to help save endangered forests by using more wood from sustainable and certified sources.

WWF published a press release about the new member of GTFN this Monday, reporting that by joining the GFTN, Wal-Mart has committed to phasing out illegal and unwanted wood sources from its supply chain and increasing its proportion of wood products originating from credibly certified sources – for Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Clubs in the United States.

“With nearly half of the world’s forests already gone, action is urgently needed,” Suzanne Apple, WWF’s VP for Business & Industry says in the news release. “Wal-Mart’s commitment to support responsible forestry answers that call to action. WWF welcomes the company to a global community committed to healthy business and healthy forests.”

I couldn't agree more with her. Although Wal-Mart have a lot of work to do on their end to become more environmental and social friendly, this step is definitely the right one in this direction.

In any case, if you're a forest, you want Wal-Mart on your side. With more than 176 million customers weekly in 14 markets, Wal-Mart have the power to make a difference in an extent that only few other retailers have.

So what's going to happen? according to the WWF news release, within one year, Wal-Mart will complete an assessment of where its wood furniture is coming from and whether the wood is legal and well-managed. Once the assessment is completed, Wal-Mart has committed to eliminating wood from illegal and unknown sources within five years. The company will also eliminate wood from forests that are of critical importance due to their environmental, socio-economic, biodiversity or landscape values and that aren’t well-managed.

Again, Kudos to Wal-Mart on this step and I hope to see many other retailers and companies follow suit and join this initiative.

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!

Last day for "Hotter than I Should Be" t-shirts auction

Do you want a cool (or hot, depends how you look at it..) t-shirt with the signature of Scarlett Johansson or Orlando Bloom and benefit the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) at the same time?

So if the answer is YES, you still have time to participate in a special auction in eBay of "Hotter than I Should Be" t-shirts, made of 100 percent organic cotton and signed by celebrities. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to WWF's global conservation initiatives including fighting threats like climate change.

So who are the celebrities that participate in the in the special auction organized by WWF? Scarlett Johansson (2 shirts!), Orlando Bloom, Rachael Ray, Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Oliver Stone, Tobey Maguire, Candice Bergen, Gisele Bündchen (2 shirts!), Kevin Bacon, Paul Newman (2 shirts!), Martin Short, Charlie Sheen, Cindy Crawford, Betty White (2 shirts!) and Susan Sarandon (2 shirts!).

Right now, the most desired shirt is the one with Orlando Bloom's signature ($1,150) and the cheapest one you can get is with Martin Short's signature ($123.36).

If you are interested, hurry up as the auction will end today (Oct 12). For more details and links to all the shirts' auction pages, check out this eBay page.

Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!