EIA investigated Chinese manufacturers that supply Wal-Mart with wood and found much of it was obtained through illegal logging.
According to a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency, Wal-Mart is using timber obtained through illegal logging for some of their furniture. (Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers: How Wal-Mart’s Sourcing Practices Encourage Illegal Logging and Threaten Endangered Species EIA Report, 2007)
- China provides up to 84% of Wal-Mart's wood furniture. Unfortunately many of their sources are allegedly obtained through illegal logging according to the report and Russian law. China obtains much of their wood from the Russian far east which is where endangered tigers breed. If the tigers don't get killed from damage to the forests, they're poached for body parts used in traditional Chinese medicine.
- Destroying protected forests affects people, plants and animals. People are killing each other over the timber and it's often used to pay for war.
- It does sound as though Wal-Mart should have asked more questions on where the wood originated from. It appears that the price was more important than how it was obtained.I think that Wal-Mart will be much more careful in their future dealings with suppliers and manufacturers and hopefully do away with "no questions asked" policies.
See full report at: Environmental Investigation Agency
Related Article: Preserving Tropical Forests
Sources: New Evidence From EIA Undercover Investigation Highlights Wal-Mart’s Blind Eye to Illegal Logging WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/, Environmental Investigation Agency, 2007
