When we think about green business practices our business could engage in, we tend to think of the obvious things that we hear about everyday such as the use of energy and water and emissions of carbon. However there are other less obvious ways for a business to go green, for example choosing sustainable wood products for your furniture, office fit-out or the construction of a new building. Choosing wood from sustainably managed forests or using reclaimed wood or fast growing wood can reduce the environmental impacts of your business.

Approximately 13 million hectares of forest is lost each year. This is an alarming rate considering the important role forests play in sustaining life on earth and providing habitat for many species. The clearing of forests for agriculture and the use of wood either as fuel or as a product itself, affects the amount of carbon dioxide in the air as well as the biodiversity of the planet. As a result there are strong reasons for ensuring that forests are managed sustainably so the resources they provide will be available for future generations. Demand by consumers for sustainable wood products is one of the drivers for sustainable forest management.

Sustainably Managed Forests

One way to reduce your environmental impact is to choose wood products from sustainably managed forests. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a not for profit organisation that provides a voluntary international certification for forests to show they are managed sustainably. A certified forest must adhere to the FSC principles and criteria. The FSC also has a ‘chain of custody’ certification for product manufacturers to show they use responsibly produced timber.

Reclaimed Wood

Another way to reduce the impact of wood products is choosing to use reclaimed wood. Most reclaimed wood comes from abandoned structures such as old barns, decking or factories but wood has also been reclaimed from old wine barrels and box cars. Using reclaimed wood avoids the environmental impacts that occur from cutting and treating new wood and some projects prefer the unique look that reclaimed timber has.

Choosing Fast Growing Wood

For some lightweight options it may be possible to choose a different material such as bamboo. Since it is fast growing, bamboo plantations replenish quickly and the root structure is not destroyed when bamboo is harvested. However there is still concern that bamboo is environmentally damaging as in some places existing forests have been cleared for bamboo plantations.

The US Green Building Council recognises the use of FSC certified wood, reclaimed timber and rapidly renewable materials for awarding points under its LEED green building certification. So as well as being a green business practice, choosing more sustainable wood and wood products could also help with environmental certification.

Next time you are purchasing wood or a wood product, think about where it comes from and and the environmental impact of its creation. Asking your suppliers about the environmental impacts of their products and more sustainable alternatives is one of the steps in implementing green business practices.

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