Mattel, the largest toy manufacturer in the world, recently came under fire for using packaging paper obtained from the Indonesian rain forest.
Greenpeace accused Barbie of having a nasty deforestation habit on their website, claiming that she is destroying rain forests “just so she can wrap herself in pretty packaging.”
The problem that Greenpeace has with Mattel is that they have been buying the paper packaging they use for Barbie from Asia Pulp and Paper, a company that is notorious for the destruction of the rainforest in Indonesia.
According to the Greenpeace website, critical wildlife habitats, carbon-rich rainforests and peatlands are being demolished for the sake of cheap toy packaging.
In June 2011, activists took action and hung a banner with a picture of a frowning Ken doll look-alike from the 15-story Mattel headquarters building in El Segundo. Underneath the image of the Ken doll were the words: “Barbie, it’s over. I don’t date girls that are into deforestation.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that police in El Segundo arrested eight protestors, including a woman masquerading as Barbie, dressed in pink and blue spandex and driving a pink bulldozer.
“Mattel has shown no due diligence,” senior forest campaigner Rolf Skar told the Los Angeles Times. “It buys paper without asking where it’s coming from.”
Mattel issued a response to the protestors in which they expressed displeasure in the way Greenpeace chose to voice their concerns.
“Playing responsibly has long been an important part of Mattel’s business practice,” said the toy manufacturer. “We have been in communication with Greenpeace on a variety of paper sourcing issues. We are surprised and disappointed that they have taken this inflammatory approach.”
Indonesia is home to the third largest rain forest in the world, behind only the Amazon and the Congo. The Los Angeles Times reported that over the last 50 years, however, 40 percent of the country’s forests have been cleared for palm oil plantations and pulp and paper operations. The Indonesian government predicts that close to half of what is left of the rain forest could be destroyed over the next 20 years.
According to The Huffington Post, Greenpeace won the battle with Mattel in October when Mattel announced that it will stop wrapping Barbie dolls in packaging that threatens the environment.
Mattel has promised to cut ties with APP and has adopted Sustainable Sourcing Principles, the Post reported.
“By 2015, our goal is to have 85 percent of our packaging be made from recycled material or certified fiber,” said Kathleen Shaver, Mattel’s Corporate Responsibility Director in an article published by The Huffington Post.
Ian Lifshitz, Sustainability and Public Outreach Manager for APP in North America, told the Post that APP applauded Mattel’s commitment to the environment and their respect for indigenous peoples. Liftshitz also said that these values very much reflected those of APP.
The question now is, will Ken take Barbie back now that her days of deforestation are behind her?
Reach the reporter at cemurph2@asu.edu
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