I’m a bit of a wine lover. When I say “a bit of” it’s only to downplay my love of wine. I’m one of those people who frowns at the screw cap (unless camping and sans wine opener), and relishes in the ritual of the cork. But here’s the thing, the cork isn’t just about wine, it’s also an important part of nourishing our world.

Confused?

Here’s the deal: Cork forests are one of the largest providers of oxygen to the earth, in addition to being one of the most sustainable and environmentally harvested forests in the world. Cork forests also have the world’s highest amount of forest biodiversity, including endangered species like the Iberian Lynx, the Iberian Imperial Eagle and the Barbary Deer. It’s sort of a big deal.

In honor of Earth Day and cork forests, our retail friends at Anthropologie have joined forces with the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance (CFCA) to raise awareness and preserve Mediterranean cork forests (which just so happens to be one of the Earth’s most valuable ecosystems). CFCA donated 2 million corks to 153 Anthropologie stores that were then turned into window displays.

Striped Shirt Cinema (from my town of Portland, Ore.) will be creating a documentary detailing the installation of the window displays. In addition, my friends (even if they don’t know it) at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates shipped more than 1.5 million corks to Anthropologie stores, while Willamette Valley Vineyards donated the time of its warehouse staff to sort and package 400,000 corks for this Earth Day promotion.

Whew! Did you get all of that? Wineries, forest conservationists, retailers and the film industry are all colliding on this one. All for the sake of our Earth. I can’t imagine a better reason.

So tonight, when I uncork my wine, I’m going to add it to my cork recycling jar that will promptly be taken to New Seasons Market for recycling purposes.

Thanks Anthropologie for bringing this wisdom to us and for reminding us that every bit counts!

How will you honor Earth Day, this Friday, April 22? Recycle your corks? What other incredible promotions are going on out there? Tell us about it here!

-Heather Strang