Furniture That Can Help Save The World

It's nearly impossible to escape furniture. As you read this, you're likely using a couple of pieces. Whether living in a studio with a mattress or a Victorian mansion teeming with rooms stuffed full of furnishings, you probably rely on items like desks, chairs, wardrobes, and tables on a daily basis. As public consciousness about sustainability and being "green" grows, many consumers consider the environmental impact of everything from transportation to food. In focusing on where you dwell, it makes sense to weigh the environmental implications of the items that populate your home. As this trend grows, more options and resources have become available to the conscious consumer. Here are a few ways to get ahead of the curve and stay green. 1. Start With Reclaimed Materials An ideal starting point is snagging furniture made from reclaimed materials. This practice of "up-cycling" is an excellent way to reduce environmental impact because it prevents future production. Rather than additional logging, mining, or harvesting of resources, it brings normally disposed-of material back into circulation. Increasingly, many household items and flooring are made from reclaimed wood for both environmental and aesthetic reasons. Whether it's the front door to an old plantation house or the walls from the galley of a land-locked ship, using reclaimed materials for furniture increases sustainability and tells a good story in the process! 2. Know Your Wood Most furniture is made from wood. As a renewable resource, it's a great way to go, but not all wood is created equal. Choosing items sourced from wood that grows close to your home is a great starting point. Less travel time to your home, while not foolproof, is a good practice to move towards sustainability. Also, if it's local, then it's much easier to be knowledgeable about the forestry practices that brought it to your doorstep. Keeping an eye out for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved oak, for example, is a great tactic. Many types of wood, though not at risk of being harvested to extinction, are not always managed well. This poor management can lead to habitat loss and erosion, among other dangers. Douglas fir and bamboo are often great types of wood to use. 3. Spend Money Investing in well-made furnishings can make a huge difference. A sturdy dresser can last a lifetime (or in many cases, numerous lifetimes!) so making the initial investment not only makes good financial sense, but it is also the environmentally conscious choice. Buying and building things that last is almost always a good guideline for getting a bit greener. 4. Don't Spend Money On the other end of the spectrum from buying high-quality new furnishings is the land of the secondhand. Rescuing an end table from the burn pile or police auction is a tremendous way to ensure your environmental impact is mitigated. Granted, the secondhand piece that enters your home may not have been sustainably made the first time, and it may not last your whole life, but including re-used objects in your life is guaranteed to be a sound environmental choice.