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Protect rainforests, not phone books

By Ashley Tarquin

The following article was written in conjunction with CALPIRG's forest campaign, which kicked off last week.

Made up of 260,000 hectares of temperate rainforest located on Vancouver Island, Canada, Clayoquot Sound provides a habitat for a diverse array of species. The Sound is one of the largest remaining temperate rainforests in the world. All around the world, wildlands are being threatened and will be destroyed. Clayoquot Sound has become an international system for the ongoing battle to preserve what remains of our ancient forests.

The ancient rainforests of Clayoquot Sound are being sold to one of the world's largest logging companies, Macmillan-Bloedel (MacBlo). MacBlo converts 48 percent of its timber into pulp for low quality newsprint. Sixty-two percent of that pulp is sold to buyers in the United States, most of whom are located in California. Pacific Bell, ITT and GTE convert MacBlo pulp into telephone directories, and the New York Times, Riverside Press-Enterprise and other print media convert the pulp into newsprint.

Canada's decision to clear-cut the land is particularly horrifying since the British Columbian government is now the largest-known shareholder of MacBlo, owning $50 million in MacBlo stock. With no conflict of interest guidelines in Canada, the British Columbian government profits from its decision to allow MacBlo to continue clearcutting Clayoquot. Furthermore, MacBlo is known to have a criminal history, with 25 convictions of environmental violations and 50 charges pending.

Imagine these cherished historic trees becoming mere yellow pages! CALPIRG's goal is to exercise our consumer power to get GTE and Pacific Bell to use other means (preferably recycled paper) to create their phone books. GTE needs to hear our demand, because we are the voices they will respond to ­ the consumers, representing their pocketbooks. CALPIRG chapters in northern California and San Diego are also pressuring Pacific Bell, and it is our job in Los Angeles to send GTE a message.

To help save this Canadian rainforest, along with the Pacific salmon, blue herons, timber wolves, whales and marbled murrelets that survive there, please call GTE at (800) 982-6347.

Tarquin, a junior, is CALPIRG's Forest Project Coordinator.

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