We have a truly amazing community—we already know that. But some stories just leave us speechless. 

We’d like to introduce you to Vinzent. Vinzent is from Western Saxony and stumbled upon Wilderness International by chance. Nevertheless, he’s developed a strong desire to do his part to protect nature. And at just 16 years old, Vinzent has launched a fantastic project—the PfandForest! 

Hi, I'm Vinzent! I'm 16 years old and in 10th grade. I'm from Langenbernsdorf, a small village in western Saxony. I launched the "PfandForest" deposit receipt campaign, which allows customers at participating supermarkets to donate their deposit receipts and thereby help protect endangered rainforests forever.

Since I grew up in the countryside, as a child I often went with my family to the

Forests on the Go. My curiosity led me to explore all kinds of forests from an early age

exploring our planet—I’ve been particularly fascinated by the tropics and their incredible biodiversity. I believe it is important to preserve these ecosystems, which have evolved over millions of years, and protect them from deforestation: They are massive CO2 sinks, provide habitats for unique animal and plant species, and play a key role in stabilizing our climate—ensuring that our planet remains a livable place for future generations.

I've known about Wilderness International for several years now: I first came across the organization in a YouTube video in which someone offset their CO2 emissions by purchasing rainforest land as part of a project. The idea has stayed with me ever since.

In February 2026, I began planning a campaign: In participating

At supermarkets, customers can drop their deposit receipts directly into a donation box. Employees empty the box once a month and transfer the total amount to Wilderness International. The idea came from a personal habit—I’d been thinking for a while about donating my deposit refunds. 

Since I was already quite familiar with Wilderness International, I thought it was a great idea: protecting the rainforest simply by returning a bottle for its deposit. At some point, I asked myself why others couldn’t do the same—and how much greater the impact would be if many people got involved. That’s how the “PfandForest” initiative was born.

My goal is to have more supermarkets in Saxony and, later, throughout Germany

participate. The starting point was at the E-Center Fiedler in Crimmitschau, Saxony.

Supermarkets interested in participating can simply sign up at pfandforest.de and

They will then automatically receive all the necessary materials—from the box template to the

personal donation link. I'll take care of the rest.

I had my most beautiful experience with nature last summer at Beachy Head—the

the highest chalk cliffs on the English coast. The wind was so strong that, looking out over the English Channel, you could literally lean back into the air. That sense of vastness and the power of nature was unforgettable.

We're absolutely impressed by Vinzent's dedication—at 16, most of us had completely different things on our minds. As part of his project, Vinzent also manages several social media channels (Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok) and shares exciting facts about bottle deposits there every day (!!). Feel free to check them out!