Greenpeace

American University has just committed to going K-C free! Sitting on my desk, positioned in between my notebook and mug of tea (Earl Grey, much inferior to English or Irish breakfast but all I could find in the office kitchen cabinet) is the letter from a certain Mr. Willy Suter, Director of Facilities Management for American University to a certain Mr. Thomas Falk. It is Cc’ed to Ms. Cheryl Perkins, Mr. Ken Strassner, and Mr. W. Dudley Lehman.
    It begins: “I am writing to express my concern about the Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s continued reliance on fiber from ancient and endangered forests for disposable tissue paper products.”
    Willy makes note of the Boreal’s old growth trees, the diverse animal populations as well as the indigenous peoples who depend on the forest for their day-to-day survival, and how the forest functions as a carbon storehouse, making it an essential tool for all of us in our day-to-day fight against global warming.
    Sound familiar? All the better.
    The letter also makes the link between an environmental stewardship education at a university and the university’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Good old (or young?- I’ll google him later) writes:

Given that a large percentage of your worldwide fiber comes from the North American      boreal, and that your overall tissue paper production in North America contains less than 19% recycled content, we’re concerned your company does not support the wise and sustainable use of natural resources. As such, I’m not interested in using Kimberly-Clark paper products until the company has made a commitment to: Not source from endangered forests; Greatly increase the use of recycled fiber, including post consumer content, in all paper products; Only source virgin fiber from logging operations that have been certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council.

    Sound familiar? You bet.
    Way to go, American students! Maybe my next blog can feature some stories about how this campaign was tackled and won. In the meantime, in the words of good old Sonic Youth, Keep on, keep on, keep on!