Duesouth, the outdoor lifestyle clothing brand, has raised R 20 000 for the purchase and planting of trees through an in-store campaign for their Graphic Tee range. The t-shirts carry environmental messages and bold icons of nature, and the added incentive of planting a tree with the purchase of a t-shirt has been a hit with Duesouth customers.
“Duesouth got involved with the Wildlands Conservation Trust and their Indigenous Trees for Life Programme as it ties in well with our new Graphic Tee range launched in stores between 14 August and 15 September 2010, said Ruhshana Parker from Duesouth’s Marketing department . “These t-shirts talk the environmental message and as outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts, Duesouth customers are very conscious of the environment.”
With these funds trees are being planted at Ke-Ditselane Multi-cultural Village in Kathorus on the East Rand in Gauteng, a site chosen due to its close proximity to the Indigenous Trees for Life Project run by the Wildlands Conservation Trust in the Vosloorus community. This is one of the 24 Indigenous Trees for Life Projects run within Wildlands’ Sustainable Communities Programme.
The Wildlands Conservation Trust’s primary concern is the effective conservation of biodiversity in Southern Africa. However, it recognizes that this is simply not possible whilst a significant proportion of South Africans live in conditions that do not afford them the luxury of appreciating this biodiversity.
Wildlands’ Sustainable Communities Programme aims to support the transformation of marginalised peri-urban, squatter and rural communities through recycling, tree and vegetable growing projects, as well as creating the means for people to harvest rainwater and solar energy.
Indigenous Trees for Life is their flagship project and runs in 24 communities across KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and now in the Western Cape, and over 3500 “tree-preneurs” are growing 350 000 trees a year in exchange for groceries, clothing and other goods.
Charmaine Veldman is the Manager of the Sustainable Communities Programme for the Wildlands Conservation Trust. “It is significant for us that Duesouth chose to support our project as this helps hugely to bring environmental issues into the mainstream and create awareness of the need to be involved in the environment.” She said.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)