BAL’S PLEDGE TO PROTECT THE RAINFOREST
SEES THEM SUPPORTING LOCAL VILLAGES
TO KEEP RAINFOREST INTACT WITH COOL EARTH
BAL has formed an exclusive relationship with Cool Earth
We are the only company in the UK and Republic of Ireland supplying tile adhesives, grouts and preparation products to the construction industry to protect rainforests via Cool Earth.
For every square metre of BAL’s Environmental Adhesive Range used we will fund the protection of one square metre of rainforest. When, for example, you use a 15kg bag of Supercover Rapidset adhesive, you will protect up 9.6m² of rainforest in Peru.
As a minimum we will conserve 83 acres per annum of endangered rainforest in Cool Earth’s Peru projects and provide support to the communities in this project
Rainforests are an integral component in the fight against global warming, crucially they absorb CO2. Cool Earth protects rainforest in imminent danger of being cleared. This protected forest then forms a protective blockade for tens of thousands of acres of adjacent forest. Funding a local trust, Cool Earth makes the local community the legal custodians of the land, and uses community rangers and satellite imagery to monitor and protect the rainforest 24/7 from illegal activity. The charity also institutes sustainable employment programmes, and supports schools and clinics, so that indigenous rainforest communities do not suffer from lost logging income. Cool Earth, a charity, spends less than 10% of its income on administration and governance.
‘The idea behind Cool Earth is that if we can help pay to conserve an acre then we can make a real difference. Perhaps the biggest difference we will make in our whole lives.’
Sir David Attenborough
‘Preventing deforestation is the cheapest and best way of tackling climate change. By working with local communities to protect their forest livelihoods, Cool Earth is proving that we can take action on a big scale.’
Sir Nicholas Stern
Crucial facts about rainforests:
- Rainforest destruction accounts for as many CO2 emissions as the USA – a staggering six billion tonnes each year.
- 1.6 billion people depend on rainforests for their welfare and livelihoods, with 350 million of them living in rainforest communities.
- Rainforests are made of carbon. When the forest is destroyed, this carbon is released as climate warming CO2.
- Rainforests are critical to global weather systems acting as the world’s thermostat
- The forests are known as the “world’s pharmacy” because of their wealth of natural medicines and destroying them can destroy the chances of new breakthroughs in treatment
BAL’s Environmental Adhesive Range
For every 1 m² of tiling, using the below products, we will protect 1 m² of rainforest in Peru via our partnership with Cool Earth. All of these products contain recycled tyres or recycled glass. The more of these products you buy the more of the rainforest we can protect!
BAL Supercover rapidset 15kg – protect up to 9.6m² of rainforest
BAL Supercover rapidflex grey 15kg – protect up to 12m² of rainforest
BAL Supercover rapidflex white 15kg – protect up to 12m² of rainforest
BAL Single part fastflex grey 12.5/5kg – protect up to 6.5m² of rainforest
BAL Acoustibond grey 7.5kg – protect up to 2.5m² of rainforest
BAL Flex grey 8.5kg – protect up to 9m² of rainforest
External Audits
We have achieved and maintained BS EN ISO 14001 accreditation for a number of consecutive years. To go beyond industry standards we subsequently embarked on the British Safety Council Five Star Environmental Audit scheme. The audit is scored, which results in a 1-5 stars rating.
In 2010 we achieved a Five Stars rating (Three Stars is the equivalent for the ISO 14001 standard).
We have also have been awarded Five Stars accreditation for Health and Safety Performance.