Save our botanicals with Fentimans –
I was browsing through The Daily Telegraph last Saturday, when I came across an article in the Gardening section entitled “If you value your G&T, help save the botanicals.” Horrified that my G&T might be under threat – or indeed, this very blog site, not yet a year old, I decided to investigate further.
I discovered that April 22nd is, apparently, Earth Day, an annual happening intended to encourage the global support for the protection of the environment. The international event, of which I’d never heard before, was born in 1970, when millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development.
According to Earthday, “In the U.S. and around the world, smog was becoming deadly and evidence was growing that pollution led to developmental delays in children.” It noticed that biodiversity was in decline as a result of the heavy use of pesticides and other pollutants.
“Fentimans is launching its first Save the Botanicals campaign for Earth Day”
“At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity.”
The theme this year is ‘Save our Species,’ and to honour it, the good folk at Fentimans are launching their first Save the Botanicals campaign for Earth Day, Monday 22nd April. The company’s aim is to raise awareness of endangered British plant species “in the best way we know how, cocktails”.
Fentimans’ Save the Botanicals cocktail menu will be launched across top bars in the UK over the Easter Bank Holiday. Each cocktail is named after and inspired by one of Britain’s most rare indigenous plant species.
Pip Sloan, who wrote the article in the Telegraph, reported that gin sales are at a record high, outstripping every other spirit on the market. In 2018 alone, 54 new gin distilleries were established – and many are keen to get the UK’s juniper population back to how it was. At the moment, British juniper is foraged lightly, with much of it coming from Europe.
Working with Plantlife, Fentimans chose the cause due to its reliance on botanicals for its mixers and soft drinks. Through its cocktail initiative, it will also be giving away wild flower seed to customers.
Have a lovely Easter!
