Excerpt from
Lighten Up Your Holiday Shopping List
by Mindy Pennybacker
The Green Guide, December 2003
If someone special covets a piece of wood furniture, look for the label of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which can trace the "chain of custody" from, say, a bookshelf to the very tree it came from. FSC sets standards for sustainable forest management, including restrictions on logging of old growth trees. Recycled or "reclaimed" wood is another ecologically sound option certified by the Rainforest Alliance's Smartwood program, and can be found in a variety of home furnishings, from dining tables and chairs to beds, desks and dressers. Companies include The Wooden Duck, (www.thewoodenduck.com), Heartwood Industries, (www.heartwoodindustries.com) and The Joinery, (www.thejoinery.com). Or buy an Envirowood porch rocker, Adirondack chair or footstool made from recycled plastic bottles and containers (www.mastergardening.com).
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