Right on, kids. We got something done for once in this world of unheard struggle. I flagged Barbie and friends as severe anti-environmentalists a while back when I discovered that the toy company Mattel was packaging their goods in rainforest pulp, but it looks like they've listened to the rallies against that practice. Greenpeace is now reporting that mattel has pledged to stop doing business with Asia Pulp & Paper, a corporation heavily involved in illegal rainforest destruction.

Mattel will also increase the amount of recycled paper they use in their toys' cardboard packaging. This is excellent news for a few reasons. Firstly, we obviously need as many trees as we can keep in order to ensure that our rampant carbon emissions are tempered to at least some degree. Forests absorb a huge quantity of carbon dioxide and keep us all from cooking to death under the greenhouse effect. By spewing carbon emissions and destroying forests, we've essentially been attacking the planet from two ends at once. Which is not so good if we like being alive.

But it's not just about us. Indonesian rainforests are the homes of many a critter, some of whom are on the last legs of their population numbers. There are about 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world and companies like APP seemed to have no reservations about whittling that number down to zero by destroying their habitat.

Luckily, APP just lost two of its major customers. Danish blockmakers Lego recently stopped doing business with the company and now Mattel's out too. It's all thanks to the pressure of environmentalist campaigns and increased awareness about where exactly that toy box comes from. 

Of course, this is only one victory in a much larger battle. Mattel and Lego may have removed a huge source of revenue from APP's budget, but the paper company still continues to operate much in the same way it has in the past--with zero regard for environmental concerns. They still provide pulp and paper to companies around the world and much of it is harvested from forests that are absolutely necessary to our planet's survival. So what can we do now to ensure the rainforest stays alive? Staying cautious with our purchases never hurt. Avoid unnecessary packaging when possible by buying in bulk and using reusable containers where permitted. And when you've got to bite the bullet and buy paper and/or cardboard in one form or another, check to see if it's sourced from renewable resources. Opt for recycled packaging where possible. It's not always possible to know exactly where your cardboard comes from, but by keeping an eye out for the fine print you can make a habit of buying responsibly.