Mohawk Fine Paper became the first paper company to leave the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Mohawk Fine Paper, one of the two largest premium paper manufactures in North America, is a leading force in the pulp and paper industry when it comes to sustainability.

Yesterday the company enforced its leading position when it left the U.S. Chamber of Commerce due to the Chamber’s position on climate change.

George Milner, Mohawk's vice president for environmental affairs, explained this move to AP, saying that "it hurts the company's credibility as an advocate for environmental protection when it belongs to an organization that vigorously opposes action on climate change."

As reported on Environmental Leader this morning, the announcement of Mohawk was part of the news about the fact that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent a record $34.7 million in the third quarter lobbying against the Obama administration's proposals to overhaul energy policy, financial regulation and health care.

It's definitely encouraging to see a company from the paper industry among the defectors from the Chamber, and given Mohawk's record (you can read about it here and here), it seems only natural that they're the first ones from the industry to take a stand and join other companies such as Apple, Exelon Corp. and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that already left or announced they won't renew their membership in the Chamber.

I hope that Mohawk won't be the last one from the paper industry to leave the Chamber and that we'll see more paper manufacturers following suit.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable printing!