Laurel Sutherlin - who has written 25 posts on Rainforest Action Network Blog.
Laurel Sutherlin is RAN's Communications Manager for the Forest Program. He is a life long forest defender and social justice advocate specializing in environmental education and strategic communications. Before coming to RAN, Laurel worked closely with diverse groups including the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (KS Wild), the Oxygen Collective, Students for a Free Tibet and The Yes Men. He is also a trained naturalist with a passion for anything with feathers, fur, leaves or scalesWow. You know your brand is in the gutter when even Rupert Murdoch won’t buy from you because of your company’s bad reputation. But few companies have done as much to earn their bad name as Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Responding to RAN’s campaign, Murdoch’s HarperCollins has just announced they will no longer buy [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, December 15 2012
The UK Guardian once referred to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) as “one of the most destructive companies on the planet.” The following is a brief synopsis of why that description fits. A History of Bad Practices and Broken Promises Over 2 million hectares of rainforest have already been destroyed in Indonesia to feed the [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, December 12 2012
Charismatic children’s character Fancy Nancy may be well known for saying that ‘every day is Earth Day,’ but her books have now been linked to one of the world’s most severe deforestation crises. Independent forensic fiber tests commissioned by Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and released today reveal significant quantities of Mixed Tropical Hardwood (MTH) and [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, December 5 2012
In what has become an increasingly common sight in this upscale suburb of Minneapolis, homeless orangutans have once again been spotted protesting the agribusiness giant Cargill in locations across the Wayzata, MN region. This startling orangutan invasion escalated significantly yesterday when a mother and her baby were arrested by police in downtown Wayzata. Bystanders captured [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, November 13 2012
This morning, nine activists interrupted business as usual at four Bank of America branches across the city of Charlotte, NC. The activists, most of whom were Charlotte locals, were there to protest the bank’s massive financing of the U.S. coal industry. The day ended with nine arrests, a swarm of media attention and hundreds of [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, November 13 2012
“My husband and I are BofA shareholders, but I am a grandmother first, foremost, and forever.” – Patricia Moore, Bank of America shareholder and grandmother Today in Charlotte, NC., nine people are risking arrest at sit-ins coordinated at four different Bank of America branches. Among those risking arrest is Patricia Moore, 75, of Charlotte, a [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, October 31 2012
A small population of homeless Sumatran orangutans has reportedly been panhandling near the headquarters of agribusiness giant Cargill on the outskirts of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It seems these distraught red apes have descended on the small, affluent town of Wayzata to protest what they say is the destruction of their rainforest habitat for palm oil by [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, September 26 2012
The President of Indonesia and top leaders of major Indonesian corporations were greeted by a colorful group of rainforest activists this week as they visited Wall Street to secure billions of dollars in US investment in some of the most environmentally and socially destructive industries in Indonesia. Supporters of Rainforest Action Network joined with members [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, September 10 2012
As international trade negotiators gathered this week at a posh golf resort in rural Virginia to hammer out details of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), they sought to project an image of inclusion and receptivity to public input. In reality, this high-stakes global corporate pact, now in its 14th round of discussions, is heavily [...]
Continue reading...By Laurel Sutherlin, July 31 2012
Did you know that almost half of all rainforest destruction is done illegally? Government corruption, lax laws and poor enforcement result in widespread illegal deforestation across the globe. This unofficial forest clearing makes it extremely challenging to truly protect critically endangered species like the orangutan or Sumatran tiger from extinction and it contributes enormous amounts [...]
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By Laurel Sutherlin, January 31 2013
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