bridgestone tire boycott

[Fred Hink]

----- Original Message ----- From: Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 11:22 PM Subject: Bridgestone Tire Boycott > Please Boycott Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Company > > Below you will read a press release from Bridgestone/Firestone tire > company about 6,000 of the 10,000 acres the company had donated to the > state of Tennessee (Vice President Al Gore's home state) to be preserved > as wilderness. Is it any wonder that the well-meaning majority of > Americans apparently favor locking up our Public Lands to protect them > from off-highway vehicles. If the very manufacturer of the O.E.M. tires > that our OHVs ride would donate 10,000 acres to those who would banish > us, rather than providing that 10,000 acres for their customers to ride > and drive their OHVs, what is the rest of the industry that stands > silently by thinking! > > Personally, I sometimes get a little weary of spending ALL of my > "spare???" time working and fighting to provide the customers of OHV > manufacturers and their suppliers with places to ride while those very > companies stand virtually idly by as our OHV recreation opportunities > vanish! > > My Bridgestones are coming off tomorrow. How about yours? > > Happy trails? > > Al > > C. Al Roof > Promoter - The Honda Hoot Carolina Dual Sport Adventure Ride > Founder & President - The Blue Ridge Pathfinders Motorcycle Club, Inc. > Office Manager / Special Events Coordinator - Suzuki Kawasaki of Gastonia > Public Relations Officer - The North Carolina Off-Highway Vehicle > Association, Inc. > Alternate State Representative - The National Off-Highway Vehicle > Conservation Council, Inc. > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > Thursday April 13, 12:02 pm Eastern Time > Company Press Release > Bridgestone/Firestone Makes Sizable Land Donation to > State of Tennessee > NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2000--In > a move that will preserve thousands of acres of > unspoiled wilderness area for generations to come, > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. (BFS) announced today the > donation of approximately 6,000 acres of land in White > and Van Buren counties to the state of Tennessee. > > The gift marks the company's second major land > donation to the state, bringing the total area donated > by BFS to about 10,000 acres. The combined donation, > to be called the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial > Wilderness, represents one of the largest land > donations in history to the state of Tennessee by a > private company. > > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. Chairman and CEO Masatoshi > Ono presented Gov. Don Sundquist with the deed to the > property at a news conference near the state Capitol. > It includes a conservation easement, to be held by The > Conservation Fund, a nationally recognized > conservation organization. The conservation easement > restricts development on the property to ensure that > its natural beauty and environmental integrity will be > preserved. > > The 6,000-acre tract of land includes a sizable > portion of Scott's Gulf near Sparta. When combined > with the previous donation, today's gift opens > approximately 15 miles of the Caney Fork River and its > tributaries to public access. > > The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), which > manages the adjacent 4,000-acre tract donated to the > state by BFS in 1998, will also manage the newly > donated property. While specific land use will be > determined by TWRA, the conservation easement permits > public use of the property for low-impact activities > such as fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and > hunting. Camping, cave exploration and horseback > riding will be permitted with restrictions. > > ``This property is truly magnificent, and we felt very > strongly about sharing this environmental treasure > with the people of Tennessee,'' Ono said. ``We took > the property off the market several years ago because > we did not feel a private buyer could ensure that the > natural beauty would be preserved. The Tennessee > Wildlife Resources Agency has done an excellent job > managing the first gift from Bridgestone/Firestone, so > we feel confident about entrusting them with the > management of a second and more substantial > donation.'' > > BFS and the state of Tennessee worked with The > Conservation Fund to develop a plan that ensures this > property, the previously donated tract and remaining > company holdings in the area will be managed in an > environmentally sound manner. > > ``It's not every day that the state of Tennessee > receives a gift of this nature, and we sincerely > appreciate Bridgestone/Firestone's generosity and > commitment to safeguarding the scenic beauty of our > great state,'' Sundquist said. ``The company has been > a major contributor to this state's economic > well-being since moving its headquarters to Nashville > in 1992. The donation today reinforces > Bridgestone/Firestone as a major contributor to > Tennessee's environmental stability as well.'' > > The Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, a > part of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau, is home to a > variety of wildlife - including a number of rare and > endangered species. The peregrine falcon, gray bat, > barking tree frog and jewel darter are among the rare > species known to live in the area. Rare wildflowers > found on the property include the Cumberland > Rosemarry. The property is also a known habitat to > wild turkey, quail, deer, timber rattlesnake, beaver, > and large- and small-mouth bass. > > ``We salute Bridgestone/Firestone for celebrating its > century of business leadership by giving this > magnificent property to the American people,'' said > John Turner, president of The Conservation Fund. ``We > are proud to be their partner in creating this > spectacular outdoor legacy in the heart of Tennessee. > Current and future generations will be enriched by the > breathtaking wildness and quiet wonders of the Caney > Fork River gorge.'' > > The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company (acquired by > Bridgestone in 1988) purchased the property between > 1970-72 for $1.2 million. Since then, Firestone, and > later, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. have maintained the > combination of meadows, hardwood forests, pasture > land, white water, scenic bluffs, unexplored caves and > mountains as private, protected land. > > To commemorate today's land donation, BFS commissioned > a full-color photo book entitled ``Scott's Gulf: The > Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness.'' The > book, which captures some of the colorful history of > Scott's Gulf, features works from former U.S. Sen. > Howard Baker, Jr., and renowned nature photographer > John Netherton. It will be available in Nashville-area > bookstores and at the Tennessee State Museum. > > Today's gift is a part of Bridgestone/Firestone's > centennial celebration. The company is celebrating 100 > years of Firestone innovation that began in 1900 > through the company founded by Harvey S. Firestone. > Throughout the year 2000, ``Firestone: A Legend. A > Century. A Celebration.'' recognizes the Firestone > entrepreneurial spirit that built the brand admired > worldwide. > > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. is a subsidiary of > Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and > rubber company. Bridgestone/Firestone manufactures and > markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and house and > private brand tires. The company also produces > Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic > rubber and industrial products. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------- > Contact: > > Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., Nashville > Jill Miller, 615/872-1463 > or > Dye Van Mol & Lawrence, Nashville > Brian Courtney/Alisa Donato, 615/244-1818 > > ________________________________________________________________