August 23, 1999
WHAT: Nearly 100 activists will descend upon Haverty’s and Home Depot’s Asheville stores to stop consumers from buying rainforest woods by showing them what these woods look like, where they come from, and why tropical and temperate rainforests must be protected. Many of the protesters will be entering the stores, while others will hold signs and chanting along the road. A person in an orangutan costume will lead the tour with a sign reading, “Save My Rainforest Home.”

WHERE: Haverty’s, 246 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC Home Depot, 795 Fairview Rd.

WHEN: Monday, August 23; 12 noon- 2 PM (at Haverty’s, noon-12:45; Home Depot, 1-2 PM)

WHY: Home Depot is the world’s largest retailer of rainforest wood products, which include western red cedar from the temperate rainforests of British Columbia, mahogany from the Amazon, and ramin and lauan from southeast Asia. Haverty’s is one of the largest retail chains in the US selling furniture made from mahogany, lauan, and other rainforest wood. For years forest defenders have been warning each company to stop selling rainforest and old growth wood, and in the past two years, each has been the target of countless demonstrations.

Tropical and temperate rainforests are home to over half the world’s plant and animal species and over 50 million indigenous people. Every day, about 100 forest-dwelling species become extinct, primarily due to habitat loss. All but 20% of the world’s old growth forest have been cleared and many of them are in rainforested regions.

This demonstration will be the culmination of the annual Rainforest Action Network gathering, held in Brevard, NC this past week. Activists from all over the world will be participating.

“We urge consumers to reduce all wood consumption and immediately stop buying rainforest wood,” said EarthCulture’s Rita Badalamenti. “Haverty’s and Home Depot must join other companies who are enacting responsible wood consumption policies by dropping old growth and rainforest wood, buying recycled, reclaimed, and alternative non-wood fibers, and simply reducing their use of all wood products such as packaging and junk mail.

EarthCulture is a Greensboro, NC-based organization defending global ecosystems by reducing consumption.