#MauveGoesGreen for World Animal Protection: A Mid-Month Update

The Mauve Family is just over halfway through its #MauveGoesGreen awareness campaign for World Animal Protection. With only two weeks to go, we have collated some of the best environmental challenges undertaken by our team in their efforts to raise environmental awareness for World Animal Protection – a global non-profit animal welfare organisation.

Week 1 – Fashion and Digital

Beginning the #MauveGoesGreen charity month with the fashion and digital industries, the Mauve family strived to improve its environmental impact by implementing sustainable changes to daily habits.

The fashion industry produces 10% of humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions, is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply, and pollutes the oceans with microplastics. It has a detrimental effect on animal habitats and makes it increasingly difficult for animals to obtain water, food, and shelter. Fashion brands have a rapid turnover of new products all year round, resulting in a vast amount of waste from surplus products. 

In an effort to preserve our planet’s biodiversity, the Mauve Family carried out various missions. Over the week, the Mauve Family read articles and watched documentaries on the fashion industry’s environmental impact, donated clothes to local charity shops, and bought from them too. Meanwhile, a video on repairing old clothes inspired Global Account Manager, Rebecca Harper, to refurbish her dining room chairs with tablecloths. 

The fashion industry is not the only impacting industry that requires change – the digital devices we use daily impact our carbon footprint as much as (if not more than) the aviation industry. Not only do the components of smartphones emit dangerous contaminants when scrapped, but digital energy and storage also have a heavy environmental footprint. By using our digital devices more mindfully, we can reduce our carbon footprint and preserve animal habitats.

At the beginning of June, the Mauve Family implemented mindful digital use practices – including the use of green search engines and streamlining storage by deleting unnecessary items on our digital devices. PR and Communications Manager Rosalind Smith also spent the week without social media; meanwhile, PR Assistant Hannah Green undertook the Offline48Challenge, which banned computers, phones, and other internet-enabled devices for two full days.

Week 2 – Water and Reduce/Reuse

The second week of the #MauveGoesGreen charity campaign for World Animal Protection aimed to improve our use of water and recyclables.

How we use water is a contributing factor to climate change. With only a limited water supply available in rivers, lakes, and natural sources, it is essential to use water responsibly for ourselves and the habitats of aquatic and terrestrial animals.

Taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint, the Mauve Family explored a range of water conservation practices. From cold showers every other day to upcycling denim and investing in water butts – the Mauve Family has been busy discovering new solutions to save water.

Poor waste management is also a global issue affecting the welfare of animals. It contributes to climate change and air pollution, and negatively impacts our ecosystem. When items are disposed of on landfill sites, the microorganisms present on biodegradable waste forms methane – a harmful greenhouse gas. Not only does this impact climate change and contaminate soil and water, but it also contributes to the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the transportation of waste. 

The Mauve Family spent week 2 reading local recycling guides, cutting down on plastics, and replacing disposable items with reusable versions. Legal Manager Myriam Foresi in Dubai shared her favourite reusable homeware – including reusable straws, coconut bowls, and silicone ziplock bags. By investing in reusable items, we can lower the abundance of unnecessary waste that is currently being produced at the expense of animals. 

Week 3 – Insects and Animal Welfare

Last week, the challenges for the Mauve Family revolved around insects and animal welfare. With animal welfare being at the core of our #MauveGoesGreen campaign, the protection of animals and their habitats was especially important to the team.

Despite widespread discomfort surrounding creepy crawlies, insects play a vital role in our ecosystem. They cycle nutrients, pollinate plants, disperse seeds, and act as a predominant food source for other animals. The use of pesticides for eliminating and controlling pests is damaging to the environment and wildlife – from volatilisation to secondary poisoning and more. Although pesticides preserve fruit and vegetables, they can be very hazardous to human health.

To improve the welfare of insects, the Mauve Family implemented a variety of environmental practices. Sales Manager Annette Ord has installed a new planter to grow more flowers in her garden, while Business Development and Ireland Country Representative Teresa Lewis has been rescuing bees by providing sugary water solution on a spoon!

The Mauve Family’s second challenge of week 3 focused on animal welfare. Despite much debate over the concept of meat consumption, it is clear the large scale of intensive animal agriculture (factory farming) is an inefficient and unjustified method of producing food. The overwhelming number of resources used for factory farming affects climate change, pollutes landscapes and waterways, and wastes precious land. It further causes unnecessary suffering for animals and emphasises a need for change in the way we consume meat.

In Mauve’s efforts to improve animal welfare, the team signed animal protection petitions, followed a vegetarian diet, and joined some of World Animal Protection’s campaigns – including its Join the Pod campaign to protect dolphins in captivity for tourist entertainment. Legal Manager Myriam Foresi and Global Research Assistant Annabel McCosker recommended their cruelty-free cosmetic products, including Annabel’s very own sugar wax and recyclable Wild deodorant.

Looking Ahead

As we move into week 4 of our #MauveGoesGreen charity month, we are excited to reveal that at the top of our current leader board, with 56 points worth of environmental challenges, is Sales Manager Annette Ord! The Mauve Family is enjoying an incredible learning experience exploring sustainable lifestyle changes for our planet’s animals. 

Keep your eyes peeled for more challenges and updates on our #MauveGoesGreen charity month – we look forward to seeing if Annette can keep hold of her top spot!

For more updates on our #MauveGoesGreen charity month for World Animal Protection, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, or keep an eye on our blog!