So, today I did something that I never thought I would do. For the first time, I wrote a letter to a business questioning their environmental practices. Well…saying it like that makes it sound a bit more confrontational than it really was, when really I was just asking for some clarification and transparency.
Recently, I have been using Crayola colored pencils again since I have gotten back into art. Crayola is a brand that I have been using off and on since childhood. I went to the Crayola website to see if I could order products straight from them but was quickly lured away by my own excitement when I saw their page on their sustainability efforts.
As a newbie conservationist, I have been taking small steps toward my environmental and wildlife advocacy. I have been searching online how I can be more active with this. So seeing that Crayola was also taking steps to be more “green”, I got excited. They even shared on their website how their colored pencils are “reforested colored pencils” and that they “are produced with wood from well-managed forests to help preserve resources”.
But then I turned over the two packs of colored pencils that I have to see where they were made, and lo and behold….they were made in Brazil.
Now, I didn’t want to immediately jump to any conclusions, however my mind immediately began to think of how the Amazon is constantly being destroyed due to illegal logging, illegal burning, and large foreign businesses employing these illegal loggers. All for the sake of getting wood, oil, and other resources that they think they need for their businesses at a cheap price.
So instead of getting angry about it, I decided to see if I can write to them. Fortunately, they have a contact page. I typed up my letter and sent it to them before I got off work and now, it’s just a waiting game to see if I get a response.
I do truly believe that the people behind Crayola want to do good things for the Earth. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t bother investing in solar power for their manufacturing needs. They wouldn’t have a recycling program that converts plastic into energy (if that actually even works). And they wouldn’t share all of their up-cycled craft ideas.
On the back of the colored pencil boxes it says that the pencils are made with planted trees in order to preserve the natural forests. But trees takes actual years to grow, and it takes decades for trees to reach their full maturity. A huge conglomerate like Crayola produces so much material, I fail to see how they can make their pencils solely from trees they are planting themselves or solely from tree farms they might do business with.
In my letter I asked what they specifically mean when they say their colored pencils are made from “well-managed forests” and where exactly do they get their wood from in order to make these pencils as well as all the cardboard boxes most of their craft materials come in. Again, I just want some clarity and transparency.
If I get a response, I will update and post about it here. I am hoping for good information because I actually like Crayola products. However, if they cannot be transparent about their materials or if it comes out that they are procuring their materials in a harmful way, then I cannot in good conscious continue to support the business and purchase their materials.
Fingers crossed!
*EDIT* 5/30/2022 – So, it has been 2 weeks and I have heard nothing back from Crayola. I guess I didn’t really expect to hear anything back, really. Even though the website says they will reply within two business days. And even though I didn’t expect to get a response, I’m still disappointed.
