Environmental activists around the U.S. are marking America Recycles Day today by protesting in front of Staples stores, criticizing the office-supply chain for selling paper and wood products made from old-growth trees and for not stocking enough products with high recycled content. With this campaign, the Coastal Rainforest Coalition, Rainforest Action Network, and other green groups are targeting a retailer rather than logging companies, following a model that proved successful for them earlier this year when they got Home Depot and other building-supply chains to stop selling wood from endangered old-growth forests. Staples is already on the defensive, putting up signs listing the recycled content of its products and prepping employees to answer recycling questions.
