Rice Rejects Kleercuts

The kids at Rice are alright!

Responding to research and advocacy by its students showing how Kimberly-Clark's logging practices were threatening the integrity of the boreal forests of Northern Canada, Houston's Rice University made a big decision this week to end its purchasing of tissue products from the company. The University switched its purchasing to products that include recycled material and exclude material from trees cut from the boreal.

Rice University Sophomore Kyle Saari and other students today delivered a four-foot tall copy of a letter announcing the change in campus purchasing practices to Marc Shapiro, a Houston businessman who is a member of the boards of both Kleenex maker Kimberly-Clark and Rice University. The letter confirmed removal of all Kleenex brand products from the Rice Housing and Dining Department.

The news made the front page of the Houston Chronicle...