Disney switching paper source to go green

Disney is going to bat for one place that has been the inspiration to dozens of its characters: the rainforest.

According to a release by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), the entire Disney company and its licensees will be “eliminating paper connected to the destruction of endangered forests and animals.”

The release further noted that the new paper policy will be applied to Disney's entire global operations and those of its supply chain including its media networks, theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, and all its product packaging, copy paper and book publishing as well as the 3,700[1] licensees that use Disney characters.

"It will also influence the operations of 25,000 factories in more than 100 countries that produce Disney products, including 10,000 in China," the release stated.

According to the Guardian, RAN worked with Disney over the last two years to test the paper it used for its products to find the source. Once it proved the paper came from endangered rain forests, Disney decided to change its plan. 

In accordance with its new paper policy, Disney Disney will no longer use the  mixed tropical hardwoods, instead it will use alternative sources such as recycled paper and wood harvested according to the recommendations of the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council whenever possible according to Publishers Weekly.

Disney will also no longer do business with Asia Pulp and Paper, the same company who was accused of harvesting tropical wood for KFC  buckets. 

"Disney is adding its voice to the growing chorus of companies demonstrating that there's no need to sacrifice endangered forests in Indonesia or elsewhere for the paper we use every day," Ran's executive director Rebecca Tarbotton said in a statement to the Guardian. 

One activist from RAN said it best, "The Jungle Book will no longer be destroying the jungle."