Corporate Social Responsibility
Feb
Mad Monkey & TruTravels Raise Nearly $9000 USD for Typhoon Odette Disaster Relief
Right before Christmas, Super Typhoon Rai, known locally as Typhoon Odette, made landfall in the Philippines and left widespread destruction across the archipelago. Typhoon Odette generated wind speeds exceeding 240kph, flooding, landslides, and caused mass blackouts throughout the country. Even with preemptive evacuations and storm preparations, Typhoon Odette left over 400 dead, hundreds missing, and even more injured. Entire communities were completely cut off and were uncontactable, due to power lines being destroyed and roads being unnavigable because of landslides and fallen trees and power lines. This crisis literally hit home for us so Mad Monkey partnered with TruTravels to raise funds to go directly to the locals affected, in the quickest and most efficient way possible. We just want to thank everybody again for donating to our Typhoon Odette fundraiser. Thanks to all of YOU, we raised nearly $9000 USD that went directly to those most affected by the typhoon. In Siargao, which was hit the hardest, ₱80,000 was sent to TruTravels partners, plus ₱160,000 that was sent to Mad Monkey team members. Individuals received ₱5,000 each to help purchase building materials to rebuild their homes as well as food, drinking water, medicine, and baby supplies. Additionally, the Mad Monkey Siargao generator is still being used to power the Sayak Margar Living Water Station. This water filtration system is the biggest on the island and has been able to provide 96,000 liters of free drinking water every day, even to those in remote villages who have suffered the most from Typhoon Odette. In Cebu City, ₱30,000 was spent on relief goods for our local Barangay, which was mostly used for bottled water due to their limited access to drinking water. An additional ₱150,000 was sent to team members who received ₱5,000 cash relief. Because banks, ATMs, electricity and internet services were down, we decided that the biggest impact we could have was to give individuals cash so they were able to immediately buy the supplies and goods that they needed most. All of this was a direct result of the donations our Mad Monkey and TruTravels family around the world generously contributed. Thank you again for your support!
Jul
Plastic-Free July: How to be a Responsible Traveler
According to EPC, global warming is already having a detrimental effect on our planet. For example, “the polar ice sheets are melting, sea levels continue to rise, and there are increasing temperatures all across the globe.” It’s time that we all take responsibility for our planet and do our bit to reduce carbon emissions and help the environment. While some greenhouse emissions are unavoidable when traveling, there are a number of things you can do to reduce environmental harm. Here are some tips on how you can become a more energy efficient traveler! Get Your Home Holiday-Ready Remember that green travel starts before you leave the house. With the excitement of your trip, don’t forget to prepare your home for the holiday before you leave. Make sure that you turn all the lights off, unplug all appliances from the wall, and lower the temperature on your thermostat. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, turn it off! Build some bonds you’re your neighbors and ask them if they can water your plants. This will ensure that your home is as energy efficient as possible while you’re away. Think About Your Mode of Transport Unfortunately, the journey itself is one of the most polluting parts of traveling. TIES states that air traffic accounts for 10 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide. Traveling by boat or train is far more environmentally-friendly than flying, so try to opt for these modes of transport whenever possible. You should also think about how you’re going to get around once you reach your destination. Walking is not always an option so try to travel by bicycle or public transport. It’s a lot better for the environment than traveling by car – and it’s much cheaper! If you Fly, Fly Non-Stop It’s totally understandable that you want to see some exotic countries on the other side world – this means that flying may be necessary from time to time. Fortunately, there are still ways to reduce your impact when flying. For instance, opting to take a direct flight is a far more environmentally way to travel, as the takeoffs and landings create most of an airplane’s carbon emissions. You should also try and fly on airplanes that are more energy efficient. It’s now possible to calculate the carbon footprint of your flight using apps such as MyClimate, which also offer advice on how to travel greener. Do not Buy Plastic Water Bottles When you’re visiting hot countries, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking enough water every day. In foreign countries, it is often not safe to drink the tap water, so many people buy bottles of water from the supermarket. It’s recommended to drink several liters of water a day – this would mean you would buy over 20 bottles of water every week! A simple, cheap and effective way to be a green traveler is to bring your own refillable drinking bottle. Many airports now offer free drinking water – this saves you money and helps the environment! Mad Monkey Hostels also have refill stations for travelers to take advantage of during their travels. Eat in Local Places Eat locally sourced food and avoid anything that has been imported. This is a great way to support the region’s local farmers, get a more authentic taste of the cuisine, and reduce the carbon footprint of food transportation. Lonely Planet advises that you should look for restaurants advertising local produce, or eat local dishes at food markets or roadside stalls. Make sure that you never eat endangered species, like…
Apr
17 Facts About Plastic Pollution | Earth Day at Mad Monkey
youtubeembedcode.com/de/ spelutanspelpaus.se 17 Things You Need to Know About Plastic Pollution 1. Only about 9% of plastic ever made has actually been recycled. 91% of plastic has been incinerated or gone into landfills or into our natural environment. -National Geographic 2. More than 9 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean each year. -National Geographic 3. The equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters the ocean every single minute. -Greenpeace 4. 40% of plastic produced is single-use packaging. -National Geographic 5. Almost 50% of all plastic ever created was made after the year 2000. -National Geographic 6. Plastic recycling rates are highest in Europe at 30%, China recycles 25%, and the United States recycles only 9% of its plastic trash. -National Geographic 7. Every minute, nearly a million plastic beverage bottles are sold around the world. -National Geographic 8. 500 million plastic straws are used DAILY in the United States — enough for straws to circle the world two times. -Greenpeace 9. Almost 2 million single-use plastic bags are used around the globe every minute. -Greenpeace 10. About 8% of the world’s oil production is used to create plastic. At the rate we’re going, it’s projected that this will rise to 20% by 2050. -National Geographic 11. Around 9 out of 10 seabirds, 1 out of 3 sea turtles, and more than half of whale and dolphin species have consumed plastic. -Greenpeace 12. High-income countries in Europe and North America have only 16% of the world’s population but produce a third of the world’s waste. -Greenpeace 13. Over 90% of worldwide waste is exported to lower-income countries that often lack sufficient waste management systems and facilities. -Greenpeace 14. The areas most impacted by plastic pollution are the coastlines and rivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. -Greenpeace 15. At the rate we’re producing plastic and other waste, global waste will grow 70% by 2050. -Greenpeace 16. Not only does plastic waste contaminate the earth and ocean, but it clogs drains which results in floods, it causes respiratory issues when burned, and shortens animal lifespans when consumed. -The World Bank 17. The plastic we use degrades into “microplastics”, which are tiny particles that are nearly impossible to recover. These microplastics end up being ingested by animals, which people in turn consume. -The World Bank Earth Day 2019 at Mad Monkey Hostels For Earth Day 2019, Mad Monkey pledged to pick up 1409.5 pounds, thanks to our followers on Instagram! We posted a photo saying we would pick up one pound for every 5 Likes and 2 friends tagged, and you all sure delivered! We organized cleanups in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia with our staff, guests, and others in the local community. While we know that cleanups aren’t the solution to plastic pollution, we’d like to think that every bit of rubbish cleaned up results in fewer sea turtles, birds and other animals ingesting plastic bags, straws and other trash. What we’ve seen from our regular cleanups across Southeast Asia and Australia is that the biggest impact we make is awareness. When people see others cleaning up the beaches and cities they’re living or traveling in, it makes them think twice about littering. Some might decide to join in on the cleanup, and others might reconsider that plastic straw or plastic bag later on. We’re past the point of just recycling; humans right now must think of the bigger picture. Policy change and and an improvement of waste management systems and facilities…
Apr
Mad Monkey Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Quarterly Report | January – March 2019
Mad Monkey Current Projects and Partner Organisations Mad Monkey is proud to support the following organisations; click on the link to learn more about their work. CBAVC (Cambodian Buddhist Association for Vulnerable Children) Mad Monkey Hostel Siem Reap, Cambodia In Siem Reap, Cambodia, private donations from the U.K. and Mad Monkey funds totaled $1,980 USD. This provided 6 new clean water wells in rural Siem Reap. In addition, we co-funded one community toilet block for $640 USD. They were all built in Trapong Phoung village, Chi Kreng District, in Siem Reap Province by the Cambodian Buddhist Association for Vulnerable Children (CBAVC). Mad Monkey Siem Reap staff joined CBAVC to see the well construction and meet the local villagers. They also made a visit to the local Kanseang Primary School to donate 450 exercise books, pens, and erasers for each child. For more information about CBAVC, go here. Cambodia Children’s Fund (CCF) Mad Monkey Hostel Phnom Penh, Cambodia In January, Mad Monkey Hostels continued its annual support for Kampong Cham Classroom at the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This sponsorship enables 17 children aged 8-14 years from impoverished homes to receive CCF education with access to feeding and health programs. Mad Monkey staff toured the school facilities and met the children and CCF teachers. We also handed over our annual cheque, which totaled $5586 USD this year. This money will fund the children’s education for a further 12 months. For more info about CCF, go here and to read more about Mad Monkey’s partnership with CCF, go here. Following a devastating fire in March that destroyed the homes of 46 CCF families living in Sambok Chab village, Mad Monkey hostels across Cambodia launched an emergency appeal for clothing and donations. With the support of many individuals and local businesses as well as fundraising events at our hostels, we were able to deliver over 300Kg of clothing, 400L water, and $852 USD in donations to CCF. Recognizing the power of sport to promote positive international relations and create comradery, Mad Monkey Phnom Penh also proudly supports both the Ladies and Mens teams at Riel Phnom Penh FC. Today, dozens of players are joining the training sessions and enjoying the social aspect off the pitch as much as on! Our sponsorship helps support the teams to enter leagues, tournaments, and purchase equipment. All are welcome: Khmers, Expats, Backpackers, Digital Nomads. For more information, go here. Epic Arts Mad Monkey Hostel Kampot, Cambodia Epic Arts production of Come Back Brighter came to a close in Kampot in March following a four-month successful run, with sponsorship of $1000 USD from Mad Monkey Kampot. The show was a wonderful portrayal of Cambodia’s golden era, tragic past, and exciting future through dance and film involving a cast of talented performing artists with and without disabilities. We look forward to sponsoring their next production in the fall of 2019 but in the meantime, we encourage everyone to visit the Epic Arts Cafe Kampot. Not only do they serve delicious meals, but they support this creative social enterprise, which increases work opportunities for people with disabilities and generates funds for their inclusive Arts Programs. For more information about Epic Arts, go here. Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach, Philippines Across in the Philippines, the beach side hostels have been busy keeping their local environment sparkling clean and safe. Mad Monkey Nacpan hostel employs a beach cleaner twice daily and staff and guests join together twice a week for more garbage collection along the beach. Our guests are amply rewarded with a well earned beer or two! For the…
Feb
Mad Monkey & Cambodian Children’s Fund
What is Cambodian Children’s Fund? Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) was created in 2004 when Hollywood marketing executive Scott Neeson saw an opportunity to affect change in a small Cambodian community. CCF is an education program that helps children and their families lift themselves out of poverty. What started as a school has expanded considerably, as CCF now helps children on every level from providing food, to medical services, to vocational training. How Cambodian Children’s Fund Started When Scott traveled around Southeast Asia in 2003, he found himself in the outskirts of Phnom Penh where he saw thousands of families living in poverty. Wanting to help, he bought a house for a family and sent the kids to school. He started flying back and forth from L.A. to Phnom Penh, helping one family at a time in an area next to a garbage dump. It was at this dump where children were searching for things to sell to help make money for their families. After seeing these kids digging through the dump day after day instead of attending school, Scott realized that it wasn’t enough to only provide a home or even help the children get an education. To really make an impact, he knew you have to start at the grassroots level — so he started a different kind of school. “The only way to provide lasting, generational change, is to ensure that whole families are lifted from poverty. CCF provides not only for the health and wellbeing of children, but for their families and community.” – Cambodian Children’s Fund The original aim of the school was to provide education for a few kids with his own money. Over the years, it has evolved and grown to two schools (a primary school and high school) with more than 2,400 students and 64 programs. Scott saw that for most families, education wasn’t a top priority. They were malnourished, without proper healthcare, and had other problems at home. His goal was to work with the entire family and to overall grow the community. It is with this intention that he created the CCF – both a school and a support system to get families out of poverty through education, community outreach, leadership, healthcare, childcare and vocational training. What does Cambodian Children’s Fund do? The CCF is so much more than just education. Because healthcare isn’t easily accessible, there’s a medical center where they see over 100 patients a day. They have a sponsorship program to match individual students with donors. Unlike most sponsorship programs, the CCF has a one-to-one model where a relationship is built between the sponsor and the child through regular communication. The CCF also has a Child Rescue Center to assist with childbirth, and a drop-in center where parents can safely leave their children while they work. The students also attend public school for half of the day, but every subject is taught at the CCF. The high school focuses on STEM subjects and even has a 3D printer for the students to use. Students are involved in leadership programs where they are required to do 100 hours of community service every year and the CCF helps soon-to-be-graduates find jobs. An Afternoon at Cambodian Children’s Fund School Every year, some of Mad Monkey’s staff make a visit to CCF primary school to present our annual donation to the class we sponsor. This year we stopped by in January. We walked up to the second floor to the computer room to see a dozen uniformed students experimenting with PowerPoint. Colorful…