AN ALLIANCE of environmental groupshave stepped up its campaign to getPacific Telesis (parent company of thePacific Bell Directory) to stop printingits phone books with paper made fromancient rainforests, by taking the issuebefore the company's shareholders.
Rainforests Action Network (RAN)along with two other shareholders, havejointly filed a resolution recently askingthe company to switch from ancientrainforests to a more ecologically soundalternative.
"We are asking stockholders to votefor saving the last great North Americanrainforests. In today's de-regulated telephone markets, a vote for the environment is a vote for the company's bottomline," said Atossa Soltani of theClaycquot Rainforest Coalition. Thecoalition points to the fact that in 1995,more than 35,000 Pacific Bell customershave called or written to the companyrequesting it to stop felling trees fromold -growth rainforests.
"We're telling shareholders thatenvironmentally aware public inCalifornia will soon have a choice, and acontroversy such as this could costPacific Bell its market share," saidSoltani. Several cities including SanFrancisco, Marin, Berkeley and SantaCruz have passed similar resolutions.
Pacific Bell purchases about 29,000tonne of paper annually fromMacMillan Bloedel - the biggestclearcutter of British Columbia'sancient rainforests and the main culprit logging the Clayoquot tracts. Althoughthe recommendations of a recent scientific panel have meant a temporaryrepi ieve for Clavocluot, environmentalists seek permanent protection for thepristine region. Meanwhile, clearcuttingcontinues unabated throughout BritishColumbia's 8.10 million ha of unprotected forests, where every 66 seconds,0.405 ha (an acre) is clearcut. "US corporations which buy clearcut rainforestproducts are driving the destructionin British Columbia, and Could Wellfind themselves the subject of thiscontroversy." said Kelly Quirke Of RAN.