B&Quit!

B&Q, probably Britain's most prominent tropical hardwood retailer has been under fire from Rainforest Action groups and Earth First! groups around the country. Since groups have been picketing local stores in protest at the sale of tropical hardwood.

B&Q say they will stop selling unsustainable timber from 1995. Why then? Because 1995 is the deadline suggested by WWF. WWF probably picked that date because it gives the tropical hardwood trade exactly half the time for reform suggested by the trade's own body, the ITTO. In other words, it's a completely arbitrary date. Still, from B&Q's point of view, it's a nice long way away. And now they've got an answer to all those inconvenient accusations about destroying rainforest. At least, they think they have.

Needless to say WWF are terrifically pleased that B&Q is going to destroy the world for another 4 years. They say it is "extremely rewarding to see a company taking such a responsible stance on the environment".

Of course there is one sustainable timber deadline which is not arbitrary. EF!'s executive elitist announcement making officer set this one some time ago, as a deadline for all action about everything. Get your copy of Ecodefense quick or you'll miss it!

Tim Rickman.
London Rainforest Action Group.