NBA star joins ‘Voices for the Rainforest’ campaign

Environment

Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

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Three-time Australian Olympian and NBA star Patty Mills has joined forces with the BioCup art series Voices for the Rainforest.

Three-time Olympian and NBA star Patty Mills is part of an artists’ team creating coffee cups to support Daintree rainforest preservation.

The design is part of a new international campaign Voices for the Rainforest, launched by Rainforest Rescue and BioPak, a leading UK eco-friendly packaging company.

Mills joins a list of renowned artists and public figures. The aim is to raise funds and awareness for the World heritage-listed area.

On its website, BioPak says rainforests play a critical role in fighting climate change with 30 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions stored in our rainforests.

“Raising awareness for the urgent need to protect rainforests and plant more trees, a number of change-makers are taking over our BioCup Art Series to share their stories and artworks on the cups from May 2021,” it says.

Patty Mills collaborated with Cairns Indigenous artists, the Briscoe Sisters, to create this design. Image: Supplied.

Our Voices of the Rainforest artists are championing the inspiring work of Rainforest rescue, raising awareness for the protection and reforestation of the lungs of our world, tropical rainforests.

Some of the artists are Mills, Anna Jones, Chef; Camilla Franks, Fashion Designer; Arnhem Bickley, founder of Arnhem Clothing; Darren Jew, Photographer and Rainforest Rescue Ambassador; Eliza Goldsmith, Four-year-old artist; Elliott Routledge, Artist; Roxanne Cambridge, Blogger and Social Media influencer; Ziggy Alberts; Ally Langdon, Today Show Host; Jean Danker, Singapore Radio and TV presenter; Liana Cornell, Actress and Rainforest Rescue Ambassador.

Patty Mills is an Australian Professional NBA Champion and three-time Olympian.

He plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA and is the only Indigenous Australian to win an NBA Championship (2013/14 season). He represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Games, 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

The BioCup art series for Voices for the Rainforest. Image: Supplied.

“Keep the culture alive and keep your connection strong. Dream big, very big. The sky is your limit but always be proud of who you are and let your strong cultural identity be the driving force to achieve those dreams and inspire your people. No matter where your journey takes you, you will forever be connected. Never lose that,” says Mills.

It has been estimated that funds raised will go towards a new Rainforest Rescue nursery that will help grow 150,000 trees per year.

Ziggy Alberts, Singer/Songwriter collaborated with graphic artist, Samuel Hall to create a cup design. Image: Supplied.

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