Winnie the Pooh reimagined to highlight global deforestation impact

By Astrid Cooper via SWNS

The classic children’s book Winnie-The-Pooh is being reimagined to reflect the impact of deforestation across the globe.

Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition, features new illustrations of the book’s characters in a deforested Hundred Acre Wood, and is the first piece of classic literature to be updated to reflect environmental changes.

It comes as a poll of 1,000 parents, of six to 11-year-olds, found more than half of the adults couldn’t confidently say what deforestation is.

And 38% didn’t realize toilet roll can be made from trees - despite the fact that over one million trees are cut down globally, each day, to provide the world with loo paper.

More than half (53%) said their children are raising concerns over environmental issues - but nearly nine in 10 parents (86%) admitted that they’re sometimes or often unable to answer their child’s concerns.

The book has been reimagined to highlight the catastrophic rate of deforestation happening across the world to make traditional toilet paper.

Simon Griffiths, founder of eco toilet paper brand Who Gives a Crap, said: “Our research shows that deforestation is largely misunderstood, despite both parents and their children wanting to do better.

“It’s clear that parents want to know more about the issue to ensure they can help educate our children about deforestation and other environmental problems.

“Whilst a hard topic to highlight, we hope that ‘deforesting’ Winnie-the-Pooh’s iconic, imaginary environment to represent the impact of land cleared every day to make traditional toilet paper, will put the issue of deforestation in the spotlight and help families, and beyond, understand how this impacts our trees and forests.”

The study also found, despite this lack of knowledge, 96% of mums and dads polled still think it’s important for them to educate their children about environmental issues.

And four in 10 also believe there should be an onus on teachers to help inform younger generations on climate change.

The research also questioned children and found 22% weren’t aware that cutting down lots of trees can have a negative impact on the planet.

With the kids surveyed under the impression animals get moved elsewhere (15%) or find new homes (12%) when the vegetation they reside in is removed.

Although this is rarely the case, with wildlife and habitats becoming fragmented as a result of deforestation.

As many as 93% of the children surveyed have worries about environmental issues going on around the world.

With the impact of plastic pollution in the ocean (62%), species extinction (55%) and climate change (57%) among the top concerns for them.

More than half (63%) of children would like to learn more about deforestation and what it means.

And 85% wished they could do more to help save trees from being cut down.

The study, conducted via OnePoll, also found 78% of parents said the same and would like to do more to prevent deforestation.

Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition is available for purchase in the United States via Who Gives a Crap.

Simon Griffiths added: “By bringing the issue of deforestation to the fore for everyone, we hope to raise the awareness needed to help make sustainable choices and advocate for the protection of these vital ecosystems.

“We need to empower our youth to be the change-makers of tomorrow, standing as vigilant guardians of our forests and champions of a greener, more sustainable future for all.”