In 2002, Staples Inc. agreed to set a goal of 30% average post consumer waste content for paper available for sale in its stores, and to phase out paper products sourced from endangered forests.

In 2003 alone, Staples says its new policy resulted in:

• 1,150,800 trees saved
• 68,965,000 kilowatts of electricity saved and purchased from renewable sources
• 473,830,000 gallons of water saved
• 298,300 tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced
• 34,500 barrels of oil saved
• 20,700 tons of coal saved

We played a similar role that resulted in an agreement brokered by Forest Ethics and Dogwood Alliance at Office Depot. In 2004, the world's leading reseller of paper also vowed to achieve a 30% recycled content average for paper and to phase out all paper products coming from rare and vulnerable forests, forests containing exceptional biodiversity values, forests subject to unsustainable management, and forests that have been illegally logged. Office Depot committed $2 million to working with the NGOs Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy to develop the information and tools needed to follow through on its agreement.

As You Sow, Trillium and Calvert remain in dialogue with both Staples and Office Depot to ensure that they follow through on their commitments.