Home Depot should act

Unusually high winter temperatures this season have got more Chicagoans talking about ways to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. While it is important for everyone to do their part, we should remember that large companies can have a larger impact on our climate than individuals can — especially companies like Home Depot that sell forest products.

The North American boreal forest is the largest intact ecosystem left on the planet. Its trees and soil hold as much as 300 billion tons of carbon, which is nearly twice as much as is stored in all the world’s recoverable oil reserves combined. And each year, the boreal forest removes enough carbon from the atmosphere to offset the emissions of 24 million cars.

However, the boreal forest is being logged at a rate of 1.5 football fields every single minute. Much of the wood is sold as lumber to American consumers.

As the largest home improvement retailer in the world, Home Depot needs to take accountability and protect our communities by committing to source wood products sustainably.