Leading international environmental organizations coordinated efforts today at more than 350 protests and events across the U.S. and Canada, calling on companies to end the destruction of North America’s largest ancient forest, the Boreal.

This global treasure is under threat. Logging companies, such as International Paper, Weyerhaeuser and Kimberly Clark, are converting this ancient ecosystem into disposable products, such as catalogues, tissue paper and copy paper, primarily for the U.S. marketplace. Going by current rates of destruction, the boreal forest will be gone in 50 years.

When we choose to purchase products from multinational corporations we are choosing to support a corporate-system that prioritizes profit over health, pollution over environmental sanity and centralized control over democracy.

LA activists stand outside an Office Max store as part of the Boreal Day of Action.

 

Seattle, WA- If you were out and about in Ballard or even the U-District on Wednesday, you may have spotted some interesting characters on bikes. Members of the Seattle Rainforest Action Group dressed as trees and caribou and fled from a chainsaw-crazy “corporate CEO” who was tailing them in a car. The environmentalists were participating in a national day of action in order to expose The Xerox Corporation’s contribution to forest destruction. Activist Andrea Cuccaro could be heard shouting, “Save the forests! Don’t use Xerox paper!” She was dressed as a caribou outfitted from used cardboard boxes.

            The local environmentalists have placed continued pressure on Weyerhaeuser in the last several months in order to halt logging practices that destroy old-growth forests. This year, Weyerhaeuser was charted as the number one logger of the country’s last, original forests, five percent of which remain today. As it stands across the globe, only 20% of the Earth’s ancient forests are intact.

            “We have launched a new phase of our Wake-up Weyerhaeuser campaign, in which we are demanding that Xerox drop their contract with the company, ” declared Justin Rolfe-Redding, a Sea-Rag volunteer. Mr. Rolfe-Redding was sporting an elaborately decorated tree costume made from cardboard. A cardboard “trunk” surrounded his torso, and mach Evergreens were attached to his arms and bicycle helmet.

Early on in the chase, a group of police on motorcycles caught on to the scene and followed the protestors across town. The car and bike chase seen ended at OfficeMax in Ballard, where Xerox products are sold. Activists unfurled a clever banner reading:  “Attention OfficeMax Shoppers! Xerox is Having a Clearance on Endangered Forests!” They also distributed literature on the better, sustainable choices, which are available to both OfficeMax and Xerox.

“Xerox does not have to purchase products from Weyerhaeuser,” said Ms. Cuccaro, to an interested OfficeMax customer. “Two companies, Domtar and Tempec, can supply Xerox with sustainable paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council,” she added. Shoppers approached the caribou to find out what was going on, and received the message loud and clear. One woman commented that she saw the bikers in route and was excited to see them at the store.

“Well, I’m glad to say we didn’t buy any Xerox paper today,” the customer replied. She also agreed not to in the future.

The rally ended on a positive note at the FedEx Kinko’s shop in the U-District. Five activists in costume approached retail associates, and praised Kinko’s for using recycled paper products. They let it be known that they will be encouraging other companies such as Xerox and OfficeMax to follow suit.

Sea-Rag has grown from a handful of volunteers to about one hundred activists since the beginning of the year.