Introducing our conservation partners

At Arrowtown our ethos centres upon a simple mission: make great tasting drinks and do good in the process. That means that in both the drinks we produce and the way we’re run, we endeavour to do things properly. Having long been followers and fans of legendary, purpose-driven brands such as Patagonia, Toms and innocent, as soon as we decided to embark on the Arrowtown journey we knew the brand we built had to have a core purpose.

The thing all these brands have in common is that they make change easy. We all know the environmental issues that we face are becoming increasingly pressing, so it’s important that being able to tackle these is easy for the everyday person. After all, making a difference depends so heavily on individual action and we’re all busy people (or at least we tell ourselves we are). That’s why we loved the idea of using daily consumption habits as a force for good. One of the things we are most proud of at Arrowtown is that you can support key conservation issues by doing something as simple as changing your drink. On top of that, every time you’re seen with one of our cans you’re helping raise awareness for our charity partners and their conservation efforts.

So, who are our partners?

Sea Shepherd UK

The ocean is home to 200,000 known species and provides up to 80% of the oxygen we breathe. Yet due to a combination of climate change, marine debris, habitat destruction and illegal fishing, our oceans are under threat. That’s why we have partnered with Sea Shepherd UK for our lime & elderflower flavour. Chances are you’ve come across them in the Seaspiracy documentary. If you’ve been living under a rock and didn’t watch that, they’re a marine conservation charity on a mission to end the destruction of habitats and illegal killing of wildlife around the world’s oceans. However, Sea Shepherd are far from your normal marine conservation charity. Just look at their boats…

Sea Shepherd aren’t ones to sit on the side lines. They use direct-action tactics to investigate, document and intervene to confront illegal activities committed against wildlife. The bravery of their crew shouldn’t be understated and will always have our admiration; click here to see a glimpse of them in action. Their current campaigns include Operation Bloody Fjords, where they tackle the annual massacre of cetaceans in the Faroe Islands, and Operation Mjölnir that seeks to expose the killing of endangered Fin whales.

It’s easy to feel far removed from marine conservation projects because they often take place in far-flung locations (generally more exotic than the UK) across the globe. However, that’s not always the case. Look no further than Sea Shepherd’s Ghost Net campaign that is being carried out on our very coastline. Over 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear are lost or discarded into the oceans every year, killing over 150,000 whales and seals. Sometimes inspiration is much closer to home than first thought.

Tusk

The African elephant population has fallen by around 90% in the last century.

The African lion population has almost halved since 1993.

Black Rhino’s population has dropped by an estimated 97% since 1960. However, there is some good news. Black Rhino numbers have been steadily increasing over recent years. Through the great work of charities and organisations these awful statistics can be improved, as exemplified by the Black Rhino. This is where Tusk come in. Our red berries flavour is proudly in partnership with Tusk and their efforts towards African wildlife conservation.

Tusk amplify the impact of conservation initiatives across Africa by partnering with local organisations. For 30 years Tusk have pioneered a variety of initiatives across more than 20 countries. This has seen vital protection of over 70 million hectares of land and more than 40 different threatened species. Despite this, the threat to Africa’s wildlife remans real and more urgent than ever.

Human-wildlife conflict, poaching and habitat loss are putting an increasing strain on African wildlife. By working with specific project partners, Tusk finds sustainable solutions to preserve habitats and protect species, whilst also combating the illegal wildlife trade.

Personally, I think African wildlife is incredible. The animals are so unique and, in many cases, iconic. From an elephant’s trunk to a lion’s mane, you simply don’t get wildlife like that in the UK. It’s special and deserves to be protected.

The purpose of this blog has been to shed a light on the amazing work that our partners do. Every time you drink Arrowtown, you play your part in fighting these conservational issues. So, keep up the good work and keep doing your bit with every sip. I’ll leave you with this quote to finish.