World Centric, a leading supplier of certified compostable foodservice and retail products, announced today it is working with Rainforest Action Network (RAN) to address its 2010 carbon emissions, totaling 4810 tons, by supporting innovative initiatives that keep millions of tons of CO₂ in the ground.

Through a $24,000 donation to RAN’s small grant programs Protect-an-Acre and Climate Action Fund, World Centric is investing directly in community-based organizations, Indigenous federations and small NGOs that are fighting to protect millions of acres of forest. Deforestation is estimated to be responsible for nearly fifteen per cent of global carbon emissions and the projects these grant programs support are aimed at stemming this forest loss while also sequestering carbon from the atmosphere through ecosystem restoration and reforestation.

Results from the grant made possible by World Centric include:

• 2,500 acres of forest, held in customary ownership by Indigenous groups, will be entered into the process of securing official land title recognition, which provides communities with the legal grounds they need to protect their traditional territories.

• 5,000 trees planted, often as buffer zones around existing forests; and/or as part of income and resource generating permaculture projects that help stop land degradation.

• Support for frontline community organizations and activists who are directly challenging the fossil fuel industry in order to keep CO₂ underground and protect their lives and livelihoods from adverse health, social and environmental consequences.

RAN’s Protect-an-Acre and Climate Action Fund programs also support:

• Capacity building trainings to develop skills, increase awareness and build alliances towards protection of forests and community control over their resources.

• Mobilizations and protests against destructive extractive industries and mega-projects and/or in support of increasing Indigenous and local community rights.

• Income generated by the establishment of sustainable economic alternative projects that provide local communities with further incentive to protect their land.

“Carbon emissions are affecting our environment at an alarming rate” said World Centric CEO Aseem Das. “All of us can be more proactive about reducing our carbon footprint. Rainforest Action Network’s Protect-an-Acre and Climate Action Fund are model programs for mitigating the affect of increased carbon emissions.”

World Centric is one of a handful of companies committed to operating as a carbon neutral organization, addressing all its carbon emissions from raw materials, manufacturing, transport, business operations and travel. Instead of relying on the mainstream carbon offset market, World Centric prefers to work through organizations whose work has a direct positive impact on communities and the environment.

“Our intention is to demonstrate how businesses can operate in a responsible way,” said Das. “We hope to lead by example, and to show our customers that their support can help create positive change for the business world, society and the environment.”

About World Centric:
World Centric began in 2004 as a non-profit with a mission to raise awareness of large-scale environmental issues. Now, as a for-profit, it strives to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. World Centric is a certified B Corporation, meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. In addition to offsetting all of its carbon emissions, World Centric also donates 25% of its pre-tax profits to nonprofit grassroots organizations focused on social or environmental change.

World Centric certified compostable products provide sustainable alternatives to petroleum based plastics and Styrofoam™. Their products are certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), adhere to ASTM composting standards, and have achieved Federal Procurement Preference under the USDA Biopreferred initiative. To learn more about World Centric, visit www.worldcentric.org.

About Rainforest Action Network:
Since it was founded in 1985, the Rainforest Action Network has been working to protect rainforests and the human rights of those living in and around those forests. Rainforest Action Network campaigns for the forests, their inhabitants and the natural systems that sustain life by transforming the global marketplace through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. To learn more about Rainforest Action Network, visit www.ran.org.

World Centric

World Centric

World Centric manufactures certified compostable products that are made from discarded sugarcane and wheat straw fiber and other annually renewable resources like corn. They are non-toxic, non-polluting, take less energy to produce and when composted, make nutrient rich soil. They donate 25% of their profits to grassroots social and environmental organizations, offset all their carbon emissions from raw materials to final delivery, give discounts to schools and non-profits, and continuously try to make a difference for the better.

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