For the past two years, ReThink Paper has participated in “The Paper
Campaign,” targeting the Staples company to improve its environmental
policy. Efforts included more than 600 protests at Staples stores
nationwide, a public service announcement featuring rock legends
R.E.M., and thousands of letters and calls directed to Staples CEO Ron
Sargent.
Success came on November 12, 2002, when Staples Inc. announced a
commitment to achieve an average of 30 percent post-consumer recycled
content in all paper products they sell, and to phase out purchases of
paper products from endangered forests. Following the victory with
Staples, The Paper Campaign began encouraging Staples’ two leading
competitors - Office Depot and Office Max - to meet or beat Staples’
landmark policy.
The Southeast US, home to Office Depot’s corporate headquarters and the
most biodiverse forests in the nation, is the largest paper-producing
region in the world. Office Depot’s home state, Florida, projects the
loss of 58 percent of its native forest cover by 2040, due largely to
paper production funded by companies like Office Depot. Successful
targeting of these companies to reverse such destructive practices will
generate a ripple effect throughout the office supply industry.
On April 22, 2003 (Earth Day), Office Depot announced its Environmental
Paper Purchasing Policy, which does incorporate some improvements, but
falls short in several key areas, such as the protection of endangered
forests. As a result, the company has continued to be the target of
dozens of environmental protests.
The campaign against OfficeMax is currently suspended pending the
company’s acquisition by Boise Cascade Corporation. ReThink Paper is
optimistic that Boise/OfficeMax will incorporate a strong environmental
protection plan into the company’s philosophy, based on Boise Cascade
Corporation’s recent announcement of its new policy, “Boise and the
Environment.” The announcement of this policy follows a multi-year
campaign led by Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and a coalition of
groups, including American Lands Alliance, ReThink Paper, Student
Environmental Action Coalition, National Forest Protection Alliance,
the Sierra Student Coalition, Free The Planet!, and many others.
According to the document, the company’s policy makes Boise “the first
US forest products company to adopt a comprehensive environmental
statement and the first distributor of wood and paper products to
extend an environmental policy to its suppliers.”
In this new policy, Boise commits to identifying endangered forests in
certain key regions, including Chile, Indonesia, and Canada, and to
eliminating the purchase of wood from these areas. Boise has also
agreed to stop cutting timber from old-growth forests in the US
beginning in 2004. The company will also start giving purchasing
preference to suppliers that provide paper and wood products from
certified, well-managed forests whenever feasible. To help enforce its
new policy, Boise vows to begin tracking the origins of paper and wood
products it receives through a thorough supply chain management system.
While Boise’s policy makes great strides toward protecting forests, it
has some serious weaknesses, including the company’s continued
involvement in Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification, its
public lands logging, and its failure to protect parcels of old-growth
forest smaller than 5,000 acres. RAN plans to work with Boise to
implement and strengthen Boise’s policy.
Take Action: Support Staples, or view other paper options at ReThink Paper’s website at www.rethinkpaper.org or www.thepapercampaign.com/alternatives.html. Visit www.stopofficedepot.net to help persuade Office Depot to implement an environmental policay
that protects endangered forests. Support RTP’s program work and become
a member. A $50 membership gets you an ecological paper sample packet.
See page 12 for contact info.
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