For Immediate Release
June 5, 2003

Contacts: Bill Holland, ForestEthics, 415 846 7346
Scot Quaranda, Dogwood Alliance,
828 251 2525, ex 18

High Flying Environmental Protest Greets Office Max Shareholders
Plane Tows Banner Proclaiming "Office Max Means More Forest Destruction"

Shaker Heights, OH – The Paper Campaign, a national coalition of environmental activists, greeted Office Max executives and shareholders today with nearly two hours of aerial finger-pointing, towing a banner reading 'Office Max Means More Forest Destruction' above Office Max's annual shareholder meeting in Shaker Heights. Over the past few months, Office Max has found itself in an escalating public relations battle over its environmental practices.

The criticism centers around the fact that the vast majority of the paper Office Max sells comes from forests, rather than recycled fiber. Some of its paper is coming directly from the world's last remaining old growth and endangered forests. Critics point out that Office Max is not even meeting the standards set by the federal government for recycled paper, let alone standards agreed to by its main competitors, including office supply giant, Staples Inc.

"Office Max is falling far behind the industry standards when it comes to environmental impact, and that doesn't sell well to consumers or shareholders," stated Todd Paglia, Director of The Paper Campaign at ForestEthics. "The company is at an crossroads, and we hope it will chose to do the right thing because it's good for the environment and for business."

Key Paper and Recycling Facts:
· 42% of the world's industrial wood harvest is used to make paper that is often used once and discarded
· The pulp and paper industry is the third largest emitter of industrial greenhouse gas. Producing recycled paper cuts these emissions by 47%
· Paper makes up nearly 40% of all household garbage generated in the US, a far greater percentage than any other commodity
· Creating paper from recycled fiber requires 27% less energy than producing paper from trees

"The Southern U.S., home to some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet, is the largest paper producing region in the world and paper production is fueling its destruction," said Sarah Hodgdon, Executive Director for Dogwood Alliance. "Make no mistake, an environmental paper procurement policy from Office Max would be a big win for our forests here and forests around the world."

On November 12, 2002, Staples Inc., the world's largest and fastest growing office supply retailer, announced a visionary environmental policy. The policy will result in sweeping protections for forests in the Southern US, US public lands and Canada's Boreal forest, as well as other forests around the world. Led by the North Carolina-based Dogwood Alliance and California-based ForestEthics, the effort targeting Staples successfully concluded after a two-year campaign that included more than 600 protests at Staples stores nationwide, ads featuring rock legends R.E.M., and thousands of letters and calls directed to the company's CEO.

"As shareholders of Office Max, we are concerned that our company will continue to lose customers to Staples if Staples is allowed to position itself as the only office products company that truly care about the environment," said Amy Perry of Green Century Capital Management, an environmentally responsible mutual fund company. "Office Max would be wise to adopt a comprehensive paper policy that protects endangered forests and reduces its virgin paper use," she concluded.

The Paper Campaign coalition partners include: American Lands Alliance, Cascadia Forest Alliance, Center for a New American Dream, Dogwood Alliance, Earth First!, ForestEthics, Green Corps, Ecopledge, Sierra Student Coalition, Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, Free the Planet, Heartwood, Native Forest Network, National Forest Protection Alliance, Kentucky Heartwood, Rainforest Action Network, Rainforest Relief, ReThink Paper, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Wild Alabama, Iowa STEP, Shenendoah Ecosystem Defense Group, GrassRoots Recycling Network, Indiana Forest Alliance and many local groups.

Please visit www.ThePaperCampaign.com for more information.
Originally printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

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