Call on Kimberly-Clark to stop destroying ancient forests
Irving, Texas April 28, 2005 – At Kimberly-Clark’s annual meeting today, members of Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in attendance at the event, called on the company to stop purchasing pulp from destructive logging operations in ancient forests, especially from the Canadian boreal forest. Greenpeace activists also held events around Irving, highlighting the need for Kimberly-Clark, the world’s largest producer of tissue products including the Kleenex brand, to increase both the use of recycled and sustainably produced fiber.
“Kimberly-Clark is wiping away ancient forests by using Canadian boreal tree fiber for toilet paper and facial tissue. It’s time for Kimberly-Clark to step up and become a responsible corporate citizen and increase ecologically sound fiber in all their brands,” said Richard Brooks a Greenpeace forest campaigner, who attended the meeting.
In conjunction with the annual meeting, Greenpeace engaged shoppers and employees of Kimberly-Clark with a 15-foot “Kleercut Truck.” The truck, which resembled a giant Kleenex box, made stops at the company’s headquarters in Irving, Texas as well as at two nearby shopping areas, where activists informed consumers, employees and shoppers about Kimberly-Clark’s role in the destruction of ancient boreal forests.
“Almost 40,000 concerned activists have already asked Kimberly-Clark to increase the post-consumer recycled content of its products,” added Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, an NRDC senior attorney who also attended the meeting. “By increasing the use of post-consumer recycled materials, Kimberly-Clark would relieve much of the pressure to log Canada’s boreal - our last, large North American wilderness forest.”
Greenpeace also distributed “Kimberly-Clark: Investing in Forest Destruction” to investment analysts and the company’s board of directors and shareholders. The report summarizes the rise in green consumerism, socially responsible investments, and the potential economic ramifications of the company’s ecologically unsound practices. The report also includes specific recommendations on how Kimberly-Clark can improve its practices.
Currently, less than 19 percent of the pulp Kimberly-Clark uses for tissue products is from recycled sources, and none is used for Kleenex products sold in most grocery stores in Canada and the US. Much of the pulp used is sourced from Canada’s boreal forest including large areas of intact forests in Ontario and Alberta. The boreal forest, often called the Amazon of the North, represents 25 percent of the world’s remaining ancient forests. Thirty percent of North America’s land birds and 40 percent of its waterfowl depend on this forest and its wetlands.
Click here to download the report Kimberly-Clark: Investing in Forest Destruction
B-roll and high resolutions photos of boreal forests and clearcuts are available.
CONTACT: Richard Brooks, Greenpeace (416) 573-7209 (cell)
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, NRDC (202)289-2366
