The Queen Of Punk In The Amazon

Vivienne Westwood, the reigning queen of punk, Fashion Designer Vivienne Westwood, recently visited Perú.  In Peruvian magazine Cosas and British Airways High Life, she recounts when she joined the environmental movement and how she is fully devoted to the cause. She and her husband Andreas Kronthaler joined forces with Cool Earth four years ago. Cool Earth works with local rainforest communities to protect the rainforest from being cut down. Our Deep in Forests partners from Ecotribal, Dilwyn Jenkins and Carlos Montenegro, who work with Cool Earth, traveled with Dame Vivienne Westwood to the Amazon where she met with our Awajún partners, the Ashaninka and other communities along their journey. She shares about her love for culture and the importance to work with these communities, if we want to survive. She adds that rainforest economy must be sustainable, but it could never be so long as deforestation and extraction continue to destroy it. “It is calculated that we need about $150 million dollars to save tropical rainforest,” she continues, “a small sum in the eyes of mega-corporations.” We hope that Vivienne Westwood can help bring much needed attention to this rich and fragile area and the cultures that have protected these forests for centuries. More on the journey and videos at coolearth.org.