With all that has happened since February 19th, it seems like more than just a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to update everyone on the Mardi Gras Time Cypress Call-In Day. Huge thanks to everyone who took a few moments to celebrate Mardi Gras by helping to preserve the cypress forests that protect Mardi Gras celebrations (and the communities that host them!).
There were approximately 800 phone calls reported being made to Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart on February 19th!! Although that leaves us a bit shy of the goal of 1,000, it still had a huge impact and showed all three companies that the public still expects them to stop selling unsustainable cypress mulch. And it’s not too late, you can still make a call today! Visit this webpage for phone numbers and talking points.
 Highlights from the from the call-in day include GRN Campaign Intern, Megan Reed, in Mobile who generated over 160 calls, the participation of Call-In Day Coordinators from all over the country, and calls permeating the corporate headquarters at Lowe’s (one of you left a message on the machine of our contact there!).
A representative from Lowe’s made it clear that we are doing a great job of maintaining the corporation’s attention to this issue. He commented that the calls are "respectful and sincere" and that people calling really seem to know their stuff. That’s not the ideal “alright, we’re not going to sell cypress mulch anymore” response, but it is clear that the call-in day has helped us get closer to a victory.
Thanks to everyone who participated, thanks to members of the Save Our Cypress Coalition who engaged their members and activists to join the call-in day, and thanks to Call-In Day Coordinators who recruited friends to make calls. If you were a Coordinator and have not yet sent your report, please do so ASAP! Maybe there were already 1,000 calls made, but we need to know for sure.
If you haven’t yet, it’s not too late to help us hit the goal of 1,000 calls! Please make a call today to Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart asking them to permanently end their sales of unsustainable cypress mulch.
Dan Favre is the Campaign Organizer at GRN.
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