Green Kleenex Tissure Now From Kimberly-Clark - Environmental News for August 2009

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Green Peace has done it again folks. In lieu of a five-year campaign called "Kleercut", in which Green Peace has been outspokenly urging consumers to abstain from buying Kimberly-Clark products - namely, Kleenex and Scot brand tissue products - Kimberly-Clark has agreed to cut its use of Canadian Boreal wood fiber in half by the end of 2010, and completely eliminate its use of the precious Canadian Boreal wood fiber two years from now.

A newly announced policy, if you will, Kimberly-Clark says it will completely abstain from using wood fiber obtained by cutting trees down in North America's largest old growth forest, unless, the wood fiber has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the leading authoritative standard in sustainable wood harvesting and forest management practices. While approximately 98% of Kimberly-Klark's wood fiber pulp comes from certified suppliers, under 30% is FSC certified. Under the new, green policy, Kimberly-Clark will ensure that 40% of its wood fiber pulp will be FSC certified by 2011, while 100% of all pulp will be certified by a recognizable standard.

Kimberly-Clark's VP of Environment, Energy, Safety, Quality and Sustainability (how's that for one job), Suhas Apte, addressed both shareholders, consumers and environmentalists by stating the new policy reflects a company belief that certified primary wood fiber and recycled fiber can be used in an environmentally sustainable way AND provide outstanding product performance. Who would have thunk it? Protecting the Earth is good for business and the environment.

Did you know that the primary forests located in Canada, Russia and Alaska, remove a combine 1.3 gigatonnes of Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere per year, which accounts for 10% of the yearly global carbon exchange between the atmosphere and Earth's ecosystems?

A success for Green Peace, Kimberly-Clark, and of course, Mother Earth, Green Peace said there is still much work needed to be done regarding old growth forest destruction, and cited Proctor & Gamble (who makes Charmin and Bounty tissue) and Georgia Pacific (who produces Angel Soft and Brawny tissue products) as two companies who need to improve their environmental policies. Now that the Kleercut campaign is officially closed, there's no doubt Green Peace will be directing more energies and funds in the direction of Proctor & Gamble and Georgia Pacific, not to mention Hewlett Packard for reneging on a promise to cut back toxic chemical usage.

Another recent victory for Green Peace was motivating Nike and Timberland to declare a ban on purchasing leather originating from Amazonian rainforest regions. So, next time that seemingly pesky Green Peace volunteer stops you on the sidewalk asking for some money, maybe you'll reconsider to help with their impacting efforts.