A Caroline Springs business owner has adopted an orang-utan – and she’s encouraging others to do the same.
Lisa Goodier, who founded Australian-made candle brand Buddha Bum more than six years ago, donates a portion of her profits to orphan orang-utan Ugo Blanco, who lost his mother to poachers.
Ugo Blanco is in ‘forest school’ in Borneo to learn how to live in his natural habitat. The money Ms Goodier donates is funding Ugo Blanco’s release into the wild later this year.
Buddha Bum, which is stocked in more than 350 stores around Australia, with more stores in New Zealand, sells more than 30 different varieties of candles, each made with soybean.
“Soy is actually a much safer, cleaner, burning wax than the alternative, which is paraffin wax [a by-product of petroleum],” Ms Goodier says. “Some companies have started to use palm wax, which is a natural product, but they’re cutting down rainforests to do that. That’s taking away the orang-utan’s habitat.
“In support of the orang-utans and their environment, we’ve decided to adopt Ugo Blanco. It’s about being able to spread the word and get people to understand that there are alternatives to products out there that are safer, not only to humans, and can also lessen the impact on the environment and orang-utans.”
To adopt an orang-utan, go to www.orangutan.org.au
Ms Goodier will be exhibiting at the Reed Gift Fair at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre from August 2-6.
