Greenpeace

Today was another exciting day in the Greenpeace media shop.  In addition to getting ready for some great upcoming activities, today was our Student Day of Action against Kimberly-Clark.  If you’re not familiar with the name Kimberly-Clark, don’t be worried—they’re one of those giant behemoth corporations that own more companies than you can shake a stick at.  Let me break it down for you: they own Kleenex.  And Scott.  And Cottonelle.  And Viva.  Yup, that’s a lot of paper.  And you know what a lot of paper means: a whole lot of trees.  

So, 130 campuses today erupted in protest—where the 17 to twenty-something set urged their campuses (and well, just about anyone walking by) to stop using Kimberly-Clark products, because they have decided not to use recycled paper products.  Yes, hard to believe that a PAPER company refuses to use recycled products, and even harder to believe that the people behind Kleenex refuse.  So, hopefully our campus wave of protest will get the message to Kimberly-Clark: don’t blow it.  Go recycled and stop cutting down trees.

I occasionally talk with the well-seasoned journalist worth their salt who wants to know where the nexus point is between environmental activists and groups like Greenpeace really lies, and if we actually have sound data behind our work.  Well, today was their lucky day!  We’ve commissioned a new poll (with our ‘not as crazy as us’ colleagues at the National Resources Defense Council) showing many things.

DID YOU KNOW???

that a whopping 75 percent of U.S. consumers are interested in buying products that are “environmentally friendly.”

• 73% of Americans are opposed to the cutting down of ancient forests to manufacture tissue products
• 77% of Americans, and 86% of Canadians say that they would switch to tissue products made with recycled paper.
• Two-thirds of Americans are willing to pay at least 5% more for recycled tissue. 

The numbers for the Canadian public are higher.  Our neighbors to the north are more eco-conscious, most likely because their society does not glorify over-consumption and greed.  And, well, their elected leaders’ advice after national tragedy is not to go shopping.  First the legalization of marijuana.  Then marriage equality for same-sex couples.  Now a demand for recycled paper products.  What next?  Universal healthcare?  Oh, wait.  

Others find it curious that groups like Greenpeace run campaigns against large companies.  Apparently, some people think that we reap huge fundraising fortunes from going after the corporate giants like ExxonMobil and Kimberly-Clark.  Well, let me be the first to tell you folks out there: it’s not the case.  These companies are hard to fight.  Their bottom-line is well, the bottom-line, and ours is to save the planet (while coming up with witty blogs, of course).

So, boys and girls, the phrase of the day is “THE RIGHT THING.”  It’s what Kimberly-Clark should do.  Call them for yourself and remind them: 1-800-544-1847.  Do it.  Make a stink, because this company’s policy on recycled paper blows.