AbitibiBowater is the eighth largest logging company in the world. The company controls the largest areas of public forest land in Québec and Ontario, and therefore has an important duty to preserve the ecosystems still intact. AbitibiBowater is currently one of the worst logging companies under these terms, however.
I believe, that even in this recession, businesses have a responsibility to show leadership on both the health of the environment and the health of our economy.
Bellow is a letter I wrote to Mr. Paterson, head of AbitibiBowater, in a small protest. Hopefully it went to a place that recognizes the need for urgent change.
Dear Mr. Paterson,
As the new head of AbitibiBowater, a company that controls the largest area of public forest in Québec and Ontario, you must reconsider your position
on the conservation of intact forests.
It is unacceptable that over the majority of your company’s logging territory in Québec and Ontario is fragmented and degraded.
It is even more unacceptable that less than 3 percent of all the territory managed by your company is protected from logging in Québec, and less than 6 percent in Ontario.
Mr. Paterson, intact forests are vital ecosystems for maintaining biodiversity, protecting threatened species and stabilizing the world’s climate. If you truly intend to embrace the cause of sustainability, why do you refuse to set aside important areas of intact forest for conservation? If you did make significant moves towards protection, don’t you think this would at least make your business and sales of magazine, catalogue and book paper, as well as newsprint and construction lumber more acceptable? Truly embracing sustainability could be a benefit to your business, as "going green" is increasingly popular and on more people’s minds. Along with the current financial difficulties, now is the best time to change for long-term survival.
Respectfully yours,
Melissa Pick
My source: Trend report 2009, Environmental leadership in the paper supply chain, Markets Initiative, 2009.
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