A "Treeroots Movement": It is OK to print this e-mail.

Please Note: It is OK to print this e-mail. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, and sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of people, and working forests are good for the environment. Working forests provide clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage.

I started including this as part of my e-mail signature in September 2009 after reading an editorial by Glen Ostle in the June/July 2009 issue of Paper 360. In his editorial he was pointing out that the paper industry has bemoaned their lack of ability to "get their message out" for going on about 30 years. There have been numerous attempts with things like press releases from AF&PA, the Disney World display and demonstrations about paper and the industry's stewardship, lobbying in Washington and elsewhere and of course trade journal articles espousing the progress made in paper technology. It isn't enough and paper is being hammered on by the green movement. Something has to be done and as this is a political issue as much as anything else political tactics are needed.

One of the most powerful are "grassroots" campaigns. Glen is encouraging a "Treeroots Movement". A statement similar to the one I use is part of his signature after he received it from a friend of a US Forestry Department employee. It is a simple and powerful statement of a set of truths about the paper industry. There are so many people in this country focused on the negative who have a voice that the positive is drowned out. I encourage those disturbed by that to put an end to it. Several of our customers were delighted by this signature to the point of making special note of it in a return e-mail to me and several others in the NA paper business unit who are also using it. Some have asked permission to use it too.

This is exciting. Let's keep this going. If you agree put it in your signature too.Most of my business unit uses it now. Recently our global CEO started using it as well. I've started a movement! It is OK to print this blog by the way.