Rainforest Woods Coalition- Sign on!
12/22/97
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Headline: Rainforest Woods Coalition- Sign on!
Source: Rick Spencer, Programs Director
EarthCulture
PO Box 4674
Greensboro, NC 27404
Phone & Fax: 910-854-2957
e-mail: earthcul@nr.infi.net
Date: 12/22/97
Hello! We have just formed the Rainforest Woods Coalition, which is a task
force focusing on logging in temperate and tropical rainforests and
stopping the sale of these woods (like mahogany, teak, western red cedar,
redwood, lauan, douglas fir, and rosewood) in the marketplace.
We are looking for new members to sign on. If you believe in the mission
outlined below, please write back with your:
Name
Position
Organization
Address
Phone
email
Of course, "membership" is free, but we would like grassroots organizing
help in your area.
If you are willing to take a more active role in the coalition, there is
certainly room for involvement. Please indicate if you'd like to be
included in our planning sessions and participate in any of the following:
fundraising, organizing demonstrations and actions, education, working with
companies and governments on selective purchasing, etc. So far, we are a
rather small coalition, but hope to really grow and implement our plans
coupled with action our individual organizations are already taking.
Sign up today to help save our remaining rainforests and their inhabitants!
Let me know if you have any questions or need background information
Rick Spencer, Acting Coordinator, RWC
member organizations:
EarthCulture
First Nations Health Project
Native Forest Network (North America & Australia)
Rainforest Action Group of Delaware Valley
Rainforest Relief
Washington Rainforest Action
Worldview
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Mission Statement: The Rainforest Woods Coalition defends the planet's last
remaining rainforests and all life within them by stopping the use of
rainforest woods from non-certified sources through education, advocacy and
non-violent direct action.
Our Goal:
To reduce the consumption of rainforest wood by 50% of the 1997 level by
the year 2007.
Policy Statements:
(1) Because commercial logging is the leading cause of rainforest
destruction, the Rainforest Woods Coalition calls for an end to the use of
all wood taken from temperate and tropical rainforests unless it has been
extracted in an environmentally benign and socially responsible manner and
certified as such by an independent certifier. We support and recognize
the need for independent certification while we recognize that problems with
compliance, monitoring and enforcement need to be resolved.
(2) The Rainforest Woods Coalition calls on furniture makers, construction
contractors, ship builders, casket and musical instrument
makers, set builders, marine construction contractors, designers and
architects, homeowners, municipal and state leaders and businesses to cease
their use of rainforest woods through reuse, use of alternatives such as
recycled materials, non-wood fibers, and sustainable domestic timber, and
by increasing efficiency and reducing waste at every step of production and
design.
(3) The Rainforest Woods Coalition calls for all national governments to
recognize and uphold the land rights of indigenous people, to honor their
treaty obligations, and to abide by Article 55 of the United Nations
Charter granting sovereignty to Indigenous Nations. RWC will work in
solidarity with rainforest inhabitants for their rights and the preservation
of their native ecosystems.
Our campaigns for 1997-98 are:
1) Mahogany- The RWC will continue efforts to steer industry and
consumers away from the use of this socially and environmentally devastating
wood. In 1999, we will have Appendix II protection for Latin American (Bigleaf)
Mahogany at the next CITES Convention of the Parties meeting.
2) Tropical Plywood- The RWC will work to stop the use of lauan and
meranti plywood from Southeast Asia.
3) Selective Purchasing- The RWC will work with local and regional
partners to pass campus, municipal, and state selective purchasing resolutions
and ordinances to stop government and institutional use of all non-certified
rainforest wood. We will also work to stop major retail chains from using
unsustainable rainforest wood in store construction.
Rick Spencer, Programs Director
EarthCulture
PO Box 4674
Greensboro, NC 27404
Phone & Fax: 910-854-2957
e-mail: earthcul@nr.infi.net
*** CHECK OUT our new webpage!
*** http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/3294