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LESS WOOD - MORE WOODS

© Linda Little

In this article I want to discuss wood use. All wood is taken from living trees. The difference is that old wood has already been taken, new wood means that another tree has to be cut down. So, if you want to preserve trees and make sure your grandchildren can still appreciate the beauty of forests, the simplest way to do this is to reuse the wood that has already been taken. You can do this by buying second-hand items.

The Benefits of Second-Hand Furniture

There are considerable benefits from buying second-hand furniture. Firstly, older furniture is often far better made. When there was less churning out of factory made items, furniture tended to be made of solid wood with carpentry joints. Secondly, such furniture can often be bought very reasonably or even obtained free. For a start, ask family members to give you first refusal if they are throwing out any wooden items. If they do, choose those which are well-made and built to last. These will also last much longer, which means that it could well be far cheaper in the long run. Thirdly, a few well-made, ecclectic pieces may add far more style to your décor than any amount of matching tat from a cheap, furniture store. Well-made, classical furnishing always look classy.

Reclaimed Wood for Building Projects

In building projects, the use of reclaimed wood can save you money as well as saving trees. If you use such wood, you are also encouraging people to reclaim wood from demolished buildings. You need to check this wood carefully to see that it is of good quality. However, that applies equally whether you are buying reclaimed or new wood.

The Only Good New Wood

Finally, if you have to buy new then insist on the FSC logo. This label guarentees that your wood comes from a sustainably managed forest and is not the product of illegal logging. Since few shops trace their products back to source, this is the only way to be sure. Remember, illegal logging is often responsible for acute environmental damage, lost of biodiversity in valuable habitats, local or global climate change, destruction of indiginous lifestyles and human rights violations. Do not let your innocent purchases sponsor unethical behaviour by multi-national companies.

Here is a quick checklist of the ways you can help:

1. Buy second-hand, well-made furniture and reclaimed wood.
2. Pass on any wooden furniture to a good home.
3. Where you have to buy new, look for the FSC logo.

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