Forest Protection Goes Urban-Southern Style

Activists from around the southeast occupied STAPLES in downtown Atlanta yesterday to protest the largest office supply superstore in the world. STAPLES is in the business of clearcutting southern forests for paper products. Earth First!ers and others targeted STAPLES because of their involvement in the destruction of our southern forests and their decision not to offer consumers a choice of 100% post consumer paper and tree-free paper products. In 1999 the CEO of STAPLES made $39 million while STAPLES says they cannot afford to buy and sell recycled paper. 97% of their office copy paper comes form clearcut forests. STAPLES will continue to be a target for Earth First! and environmental organizations across the nation until STAPLES meets our demands. The expansion of the paper industry and office supply corporations like STAPLES across the south, has resulted in unprecedented levels of clearcutting in our region. More than half of our paper in the U.S. comes from southern forests and these forests contain the greatest biological diversity in the continental United States. As long as the native forests of the South are still under siege, we will continue to escalate our tactics against STAPLES. They must change their purchasing and supply policies now! Our demands are
*Immediately phase out all wood and paper products from old growth fiber.
*Immediately phase out all wood and paper produts made from fiber from U.S. public lands.
*Commit to achieving 50% post consumer content for all paper products within two years and begin an immediate phase out of all products that are made of 100% vigin wood fiber.
*Make available 100% post consumer paper that is made form agricultural fiber by designating and stocking permanent shelf space all stores and other points of sale.
*Educate all employees, customers, and suppliers on the benefits of recycled paper, recycling, and alternative fibers.
We will continue to put our bodies on the line to protect our southern forests. Continue to check out the atlanta indy media site for updated information about the direct action and the fates of the arrestees.