Buy sustainably produced wood products now
Wood is a renewable resource if it is harvested in a sustainable manner. For sustainable wood, look for recycled wood products, or wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as coming from well-managed forests.
| Environmental Home Center | Online source for sustainable wood products. |
| FSC Canada |
has more info on the sustainable forestry commitment of these and a handful of other top wood product retailers. |
| The Green Guide | product report on wood furniture that includes a long list of sources for FSC certified wood furniture, as well as alternatives such as bamboo and recycled/reclaimed wood. |
| Home Depot IKEA Lowe’s |
All three carry lines of FSC certified wood products. |
| Smartwood website | Links to both FSC-certified wood and Smartwood-certified reused, reclaimed, recycled and salvaged wood products. "SmartGuides" to green building wood sources, sustainable furniture, and paper and print sources are available for download. |
Why it’s important
Americans use about 27 percent of the wood commercially harvested worldwide. Much of it is harvested in an unsustainable manner, making the burden on forest ecosystems that much greater. To reduce the burden, use less wood, reuse wood that has already been harvested, and buy wood that was harvested in a way that causes less damage to local communities and forest. ecosystems.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) seeks to insure that wood is harvested in a more responsible fashion. Through third party certifiers such as Smartwood and Scientific Certification Systems, FSC certifies that forests are managed in a manner that:
- Supports fair labor policies
- Respects local influence over forestry operations
- Protects forest ecosystems—including native species, watersheds, and soils
- Avoids the use of chemicals and genetic engineering.
Consumer demand for FSC certified wood can give forest owners financial incentives to adopt more sustainable practices.
Learn more
- Get started, with the Smartwood website.
- Find out more about what’s behind the FSC and other certified wood labels at Consumer Union’s Eco-Labels website.
- Why sustainable forestry? - from Smartwood
Learn more about the Conscious Consumer Marketplace.
If you would like for your company to be listed in the Conscious Consumer Marketplace, please email Mary Jo Snavely or call 301.891.3683 ext. 110.