Another View of Greenpeace - Kimberly-Clark agreemnet to use FSC certified harvests

Greenpeace Wipes It's Soft, Virgin Butt with Canada's Ancient Boreal Forests

- Against what ecological science tells us is required for global and regional ecological sustainability, Greenpeace Canada endorses continued clearcut of ancient boreal forests for paper products including toilet paper. Nothing to change as ancient boreal forests continues to be clearcut to wipe bottoms, albeit certified by FSC and Greenpeace as "well-managed".

August 6, 2009
By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet (EI)
http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/
CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org

Ecological Internet vigorously condemns Greenpeace Canada's greenwash endorsement of continued Canadian ancient boreal forest logging to make throw away paper items, including toilet paper. Yesterday Greenpeace announced a premature end to its "Kleercut" campaign against Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the maker of Kleenex, Scott and Cottonelle brand paper products, boldly proclaiming "today, ancient forests like the Boreal Forest have won."

Greenpeace's long-standing campaign against "ancient forest crimes" by Kimberly-Clark was suspended on the basis of promises that 40% of its North American tissue fiber will be either recycled or FSC certified by 2011. The company traditionally has used 3 million tones of virgin fibre a year, which will fall to 2.4 million tons if they are successful. This atrociously weak target will legitimize continued destruction of Canada's ancient forest ecosystems for throw away paper products for decades.

"In a world well past its carrying capacity, facing abrupt climate change and species and ecosystem collapse, we call upon Greenpeace to immediately disclose the ecological science that suggests primary and old growth forests can and should continue to be clearcut to wipe our asses," questions Dr. Glen Barry. "It is just like Greenpeace to half carry out a campaign, achieve partial success, claim victory and move onto a more telegenic protest opportunity to fill their coffers."

Ecological Internet calls upon Greenpeace to embrace substance over style (for a change) and immediately disassociate itself from the Forest Stewardship Council's ongoing certification of first time industrial logging of primary forests as being "well-managed" while implying sustainability.

"No one including Greenpeace can tell us how many tens of millions of hectares of primeval forest ecosystems are being destroyed under FSC's certification label for, amongst other things, toilet paper and lawn furniture. Until Greenpeace and friends stop greenwashing FSC ancient forest logging, we call upon committed forest protectors to resign their membership from Greenpeace and other ancient forest logging apologists, and to stop using virgin toilet paper, no matter how sensitive their behinds," explains Dr. Barry.

It is up to us to continue the Kleercut campaign until primary forest logging ends. This places Greenpeace in strong contention for the upcoming "Forest Greenwash" of the year award.

The Canadian Boreal Forest is North America’s largest old growth forest, and contains 25% of the world's remaining intact ancient forests. It provides habitat for threatened wildlife such as woodland caribou and a sanctuary for more than one billion migratory birds. It is also the largest terrestrial storehouse of carbon on the planet, storing the equivalent of 27 years worth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In March 2005, Greenpeace stated: "It is an environmental crime that Kimberly-Clark, through its Kleenex toilet paper, facial tissue and napkins, is causing the destruction of one of the planet's remaining ancient forests," said Richard Brooks, Greenpeace Forests Campaigner. "Shoppers need to know that when they choose Kleenex brand products they are participating in the destruction of the Boreal forest, a natural heritage of all Canadians."

"We are calling on store managers to return this evidence of ancient forest crimes to Kimberly-Clark, the makers of Kleenex brand tissue products," added Brooks. "If consumers knew that ancient forests in Northern Ontario were being clearcut to create disposable products that are used once, and then simply thrown away or flushed down the toilet, they would be horrified."

Under the announcement made by Greenpeace, such activities will continue, albeit in a manner certified as "well-managed" by FSC. There is no such thing as ecologically sustainable or even mildly beneficial first time industrial primary forest logging, and Greenpeace should be ashamed of itself for legitimizing the trade. If you support Greenpeace, you support ancient forest logging that endangers our shared being.

###

Ecological Internet provides the world's largest and most used climate, rainforest and environment portals at http://www.climateark.org/ and http://www.ecoearth.info/ and http://www.rainforestportal.org/ . Dr. Glen Barry is a leading global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. He frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org

FREE TELESEMINAR: Why are forests so vital in solving the climate crisis and protecting our communities?

FREE TELESEMINAR:
Why are forests so vital in solving the climate crisis and protecting our communities?

You’re invited to a free 60 minute telephone seminar where staff from the Model Forest Policy Program, will discuss the often ignored climate solution: forests. Learn why forests are so vital in protecting citizens from impacts of climate change and what’s the cost of not preserving their natural “services”…or doing nothing?

Use this seminar to build your case to decision makers and the public. Choose one of the dates below:

Monday August 31 Scheduled Start Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern, 6:00 P.M. Pacific
Wednesday Sept 9 Scheduled Start Time: 3:00 P.M. Eastern, 12:00 P.M. Pacific
Thursday Sept 17 Scheduled Start Time: 2:00 P.M. Eastern, 11:00 A.M Pacific

Here's what you'll take away from the 1-Hour Teleseminar:
Clearer understanding of critical role of forests in protecting citizens from flooding, drought and increasing CO2 levels.
Questions answered about your community's forest and water climate planning problems.
The synergy of multiple communities tackling these issues together.

Here's what you'll learn:
The top 5 reasons you need to address forest conservation locally.
Facts YOU can use to make the case for conserving your local forests.
Learn from success stories and failures.
Learn how to position your community to get future funding for climate planning.

This information is needed now by your community so don't miss out on this free presentation.

Kimberly-Clark to source fiber for tissue products from sustainably grown forests.

Kimberly-Clark has agreed to source fiber for tissue products from sustainably grown forests. Read the article and then be sure to watch the video for a chuckle.

Since 2004, Greenpeace and countless activists have asked Kimberly-Clark to save the Boreal forest. The company that makes Kleenex, Scott, and Cottonelle announced a new policy that places it among the industry leaders in sustainability.

Today Greenpeace announced the successful end of its Kleercut campaign!

Kimberly-Clark has set a goal of obtaining 100 percent of the wood fiber for its products — including its flagship brand, Kleenex — from environmentally responsible sources. By the end of 2011, the company will no longer use any pulp from the Boreal Forest unless it is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified. The policy also prevents the company from cutting endangered forests, and increases the company’s use of FSC-certified pulp and recycled fiber globally.

With this announcement, Kimberly-Clark, the largest tissue company in the world, becomes a sustainability leader. Now it’s time for Georgia-Pacific and Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark’s main competitors, to create their own policies to protect ancient forests.

2009 Urban Forestry Conference October 22-23 Lipscomb University, Nashville

Conference Cost
$125 before Oct 15
$110 before Aug 22
Save $15 with TUFC membership

Greening Your Community

This conference features expert presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on demonstrations about greening your community with urban forestry. From planners and managers to foresters and field crews, everyone involved with growing and managing trees will take home plenty of insights to help you do your job.

Who should attend: Arborists, foresters, consultants, tree board members, landscape architects, developers, builders, city planners, urban foresters, and tree lovers.

Affordable pricing puts the conference within the reach of any budget. If you only go to one urban forestry event this year, this is the one to attend. REGISTER NOW AND SAVE! Early-bird deadline is September 25.

UK firm scouts Georgia for wood chips

UK firm scouts Georgia for wood chips
Saturday, July 18, 2009, 12:15pm EDT

UK firm MGT Power Limited is scouting the Southeast, including Georgia, for a steady source of wood chips for a massive new biomass electricity plant.

MGT recently got the nod from the British government to proceed with the development of the $815 million Tees Renewable Energy Plant to be located in northeast England. The plant will use some 2.65 million tons of wood chips a year. The plant will be one of the largest of its kind in the world, generating enough electricity to meet the needs of about 600,000 homes, according to a company release.

"The Government's consent is welcome news as we are at an advanced stage with the forestry establishment for fuel sourcing and power plant procurement," said Chris Moore, director of MGT Power. "We can now appoint our banks, conclude the financing and reach agreement with our preferred technology bidders. We are moving toward an early construction start with a high degree of confidence."

The Tees Renewable Energy Plant will begin commercial operation in late 2012.

"Other similarly sized biomass plants are proposed in other parts of the country, but our Teesport project is currently two years ahead of the pack and likely to be one of the first to be operational. It comes at a time when replacement UK energy generation capacity is urgently needed," Moore said.

MGT's plan is to source woodchips from the Southeast, as well as other locations throughout North America and South America and the Baltic States. While no supply agreements have been formalized, the company is having advanced discussions with suppliers and shipping facilities throughout the Southeast US as part of its efforts to formulate specific plans, a company spokesperson said.

MGT has traveled to nearly all areas in the southern US that have both an ample supply of wood chips and easy access to ports that can export chips. Georgia is included in that area, the spokesperson added.

Forest2Market is acting as MGT's North American advisor for supply chain issues.


Scot Quaranda
Campaign Director
Dogwood Alliance
www.dogwoodalliance.org or www.nofreerefills.org
828.242.3596

National Roundtable on Sustainable Forests (RSF) Meeting

Please hold October 14 and 15, 2009 for the next National Roundtable on Sustainable Forests (RSF) Meeting which will be in Washington, DC. The primary purpose of the Meeting is to discuss, shape, and make plans for implementing a stakeholder Sustainable Forests Action Strategy, a document which is currently being developed by a diverse group of RSF participants as a companion document to the draft 2010 National Report on Sustainable Forests. It is hoped that the Action Strategy will help the forest community move beyond just examining significant changes in forest conditions between the 2003 and draft 2010 National Reports on Sustainable Forests, to an open national dialogue among stakeholders with diverse interests to develop priority actions to be taken in the next two years to improve the conservation and sustainable management of the nation’s forests. The National RSF meeting will be a critical opportunity to broaden stakeholder support and momentum to take action on some of the key forest challenges in the United States. Other agenda topics will include progress on developing the Regional Indicator Initiative, other efforts to accomplish the objectives of the RSF Work Plan, and the potential role of the RSF in preparation for the International Year of Forests in 2011. 

Details on location and an agenda will be sent out as they are available.

The draft Action Strategy will become available for additional stakeholder input in early August. To help build stakeholder awareness and support of the Action Strategy leading up to the October National RSF Meeting, the RSF Communications Outreach Work Group will be contacting you and other forest stakeholders to talk about ways in which you may participate in shaping and potentially playing a role in implementing the Action Strategy. Please stay tuned.

We hope you will be able to join us at the October National RSF Meeting. 

Best regards,
Meridian Institute

Sarah Walen, Senior Mediator
Shawn Walker, Support Coordinator
__________________________________
Shawn Walker
Project Coordinator | Meridian Institute
1920 L Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036, United States
+1.202.354.6450 phone
+1.703.509.2396 mobile
+1.202.354.6441 fax
shawnwalker@merid.org
www.merid.org

Tennessee's timber industry - an assessment from USFS

The above referenced publication is now available online and can be accessed at:

http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/33116

If you'd like to receive a hard copy of the report, please reply to this message and include the number of copies you want, and your mailing address if it was not on your completed questionnaire.

You're receiving this notification based on your criteria in our mailing list database. Please let me know if you've received it in error and I'll correct the database.

Thank you,

Janet E. Griffin
865-862-2079