Jul 15, 2008

Save the Rain Forest – One Pen at a Time!

As it turns out, the pen really is mightier than the sword. And the machete. And the bulldozer, or whatever else they’re using to demolish Earth’s endangered rain forests.

Or, at least one pen is: the new Bamboo Tornado by Retro 51.

It’s a pen that’s fun to use. Lightweight, ergonomic, and writes like a dream. More important, the barrel is made from solid bamboo, a durable hardwood that’s also eco-friendly. Bamboo—the fastest-growing woody plant in the world—is a favorite with environmentalists because it’s an abundant, replenishable resource.

Bamboo is also a favorite with giant pandas, who eat 20-40 lbs. of the stuff every day. Hence the engraving of a bamboo-noshing panda on the back of the pen.

The pen also features the long lasting easy flow refill system, which is in itself ecologically sound. (As America goes “green,” refillable pens are making a comeback.) But that’s only the beginning.

When you purchase the Bamboo Tornado, which retails for about $40, you are saving 250 square feet of endangered rain forest. Retro 51 — known for its tagline, “Life is too short to carry an ugly pen” — makes a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation’s Rain Forest Rescue Program for every pen purchased.

The program has already saved more than two billion square feet of rain forest, which, while it covers just 2% of the earth’s surface, is home to nearly half the planet’s known living species. Already the source of many medicines—think Cortisone—the rain forest may someday reveal the secret to curing cancer. (Of the 3,000 plants identified as anti-cancer agents, 70% of them exist only in the rain forest.)

The Bamboo Tornado is a great conversation starter. Packaged in a recyclable, jungle-themed box, it makes a great gift to an eco-conscious friend. (In India, bamboo is the symbol of friendship.) You’ll find it at fine retailers nationwide or for a complete list of dealers, visit www.retro51.com.

So do something kind for Mother Earth—pick up a Bamboo Tornado pen. Just don’t loan it to a giant panda.