Greenpeace

    About two weeks ago, we at the San Francisco office under went a semi-major mail-out. To all of our US Forest Friendly businesses, we mailed over 250 follow-up letters, over 250 Forest Friendly 500 certificates, over 500 copies of a letter addressed to Mr. Jan Spencer, President of Kimberly-Clark Professional North Atlantic (one to Spencer and one to send back to us), and over 500 stamped and pre-addressed envelopes (one to Spencer, one back to us).  The letter to Spencer stated that this business was a Forest Friendly business, and would continue not to buy KC products until KC, in effect, becomes a Forest Friendly business too. The certificates (suitable for framing and hanging in the Forest Friendly business, I think) make clear that the business has committed to this initiative and highlight exactly what this means.     Since about last Thursday, we’ve been receiving back an average of 6 letters per day. And, as all businesses had to do to send the letter to KC was to sign their name, print their business name, and then put the letter in the envelope, mailing one to us, and one to KC, we expect to receive many more. Since last Thursday, we’re already received 30 or so copies of letters sent to KC. This means, of course, KC must have also received about 30 or so letters from American businesses (and the Canadian office did a similar mail-out with the Canadian businesses) asking them to be forest friendly.
    What do these letters mean for a KC exec—especially for someone like Spencer who’s in charge of KC’s relationships with other businesses? Let’s consider that these letters from American and Canadian companies are stating that they that will not buy KC products until the company becomes Forest Friendly. So basically, we’re talking about KC’s business here. We’re talking about companies communicating in a tangible form (massive amounts of mail; think about the act of opening each envelope up!) their purchasing power.  
    Here’s a plan: you’ll keep recruiting businesses to the Forest Friendly 500, we’ll keep the letters to Forest Friendly businesses coming, the Forest Friendly businesses will keep sending their letters to KC, and all together (with some email actions, newspaper coverage, university student activities, etc, etc, etc) we’ll do it!

    While I’ve been away in Amsterdam for the past week (it was a business trip—really!), the Greenpeace Organizing Term has been working to raise ancient forest destruction awareness through out Wisconsin.
    Not content to make a splash only in the pretty college city of Madison, WI (a friend from Madison told me that his younger brother likes to surf on the lake wearing a Speedo!?!), last week the GOT team traveled to papermaking city of Neenah, WI, where Kimberly-Clark began its ancient forest destruction and continues to have a presence.
    One of their first activities there was creating a forest crime scene in front of KC’s central administrative offices in downtown Neenah. The GOTters stood with Forest Crime Scene banners, Wanted banners (“Wanted: Kimberly-Clark for Ancient Forest Destruction”), and delivered a letter to the executives based in Neenah. The Crime Scene lasted about 45 minutes, long enough to force KC employees to step over the Crime Scene tape when they left the building for lunch. (See www.kleercut.net/en/neenah for photos.)
    Other GOT activities in Neenah include paying a visit on KC Board Member John Bergstrom’s Hummer dealership. (Why are the bad guys always so bad? It’s so poetic it kills me.) Bergstrom owns dozens of car dealerships through out the town, but at this particular one, the GOTtes held a banner that read “John Bergstrom of Kimberly-Clark: Driving Ancient Forest Destruction.” NBC’s only regional environmental reporter filmed a very positive piece that went live on the 5 PM news.
    So the GOT this summer is rocking. But don’t just take it from me. Here’s what Diana Silbergeld, GOT coordinator extraordinaire says: “The students have become an effective, tight team and today’s event [she’s referring to the Bergstrom festivities] was smooth and inspiring. The GOT team are professional messengers of the Kleercut campaign, sneaky activists with their poster hanging and banner unfurling, and have sent a clear warning to Kimberly-Clark in the best Greenpeace spirit.”
    Sounds good to me! As they say in Amsterdam, Go GOT go!