Stefan Lessard, bassist for Dave Matthews Band, writes op-ed in support of the Lacey Act and using sustainable sources of wood for musical instruments.
Today, Stefan Lessard from Dave Matthews Band writes about his love for music and his concern for the sustainability of wood products used to make instruments, like the bass guitar he plays regularly.
Certain types of wood are precious to the music industry. Due to illegal logging and bribery, many of these species are near extinction in our forests around the world. Fortunately, the Lacey Act was put into play years ago to protect against wood harvested from illegal methods from entering our country and into our beloved instruments.
Lessard cares about whether his instrument is being sourced from illegal activities that destroy forests around the world, as well as take advantage of child and slave labor. Unfortunately, Congress does not. House Representative Eric Cantor (VA-7) wants to change the Lacey Act, with a false claim to protect musicians travelling in an out of the country with their instruments. The Lacey Act only focuses on commercial traffickers of illegal wood, and Cantor just wants to gut the law and open the door to illegal wood and wood products to cross our borders.
Take action now to protect the Lacey Act: Don’t Let Dirty Politics Destroy Rainforests.
