Resources

Make a Difference Today

Much is made of the threats to our environment, and rightly so. Many want to help, but few know how to begin. Every successful cause reaches a tipping point, a moment when collective consciousness leads to concerted action and produces results. Whether you are a manufacturer, a retailer or a consumer, there are plenty of things that all of us can do now. The first step is simple. When you are sourcing materials to build with, when you are selecting products to stock, when you are buying things for your home... ask questions:

• What are the products made of?
• Where and how were the materials procured?
• If made of wood, was it legally harvested?
• How are they processed into finished goods?
• What is the environmental impact?
• What will happen to the product after its served its purpose?

Here are some tools you can use to become more sustainable:

• Green My Company
• Green My Store
• Green My Home
• Green My Textile Choices
• Green My Cushioning Choices
• Randall Whitehead's List of Cool Lighting Manufacturers
• Soy Bio-Hybrid Foam Life Cycle Assessment
• THE BEST GREEN IS BROWN: Why Wood is Good

Featured Links

Forest Stewardship Council – FSC
http://www.fsc.org/en/
http://www.fscus.org/
www.fsc-info.org

An international organization promoting responsible stewardship of the world’s forests.

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FSC Global Forest Risk Registry
http://globalforestrisk.nepcon.net/

A free tool providing information about the risk of sourcing controversial wood.

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Describes what to do to reduce formaldehyde in the home.

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CARE - Carpet America Recovery Effort
http://www.carpetrecovery.org/index.php

An industry-government effort to develop market-based solutions for recycling carpet.

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EnviroMedia Social Marketing and the University of Oregon's Greenwashing Index
http://www.greenwashingindex.com/

Helps consumers evaluate environmental marketing claims.

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Environmental Defense Fund - Innovations Review 2009
http://innovation.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=38814

A look at green business practices that go beyond the basics.

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EPA Climate Leaders
http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders/index.html

An EPA industry-government partnership to develop climate change strategies.

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EPA - Guide to Purchasing Green Power
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org/sites/sustainablefurnishings.org/files/sfc-images/purchasing_guide_for_web-2.pdf

For organizations that are considering buying green power or that have decided to buy it and want help.

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Federal Trade Commission - Guides For The Use of Environmental Marketing Claims
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides92

Administrative interpretations of laws for the guidance of the public.

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Furniture Banks in the United States - Links to Furniture Banks by State
http://www.furniturebanks.org/AboutUs.html
http://www.hfia.com/Links/tabid/62/Default.aspx

A Furniture Bank is like a food bank, except with furniture and household furnishings.

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IPCC Fourth Assessment Report on Global Climate Change- Summary
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf

Formally agreed statement of the IPCC concerning key findings in the Fourth Assessment Report.

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The Lacey Act FAQ
http://www.eia-global.org/lacey/P6.EIA.LaceyReport.pdf

Frequently asked questions about the world's first ban on trade in illegal wood.

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North Carolina Sustainable Business Council - Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quick Guide
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org/sites/sustainablefurnishings.org/files/sfc-images/GHGQuickGuidefinaljuly2007.pdf

A guidance document to help companies develop an in-house greenhouse gas inventory.

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Plug-In to eCycling
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/index.htm

An EPA partnership program that promotes opportunities for individuals to recycle their electronics.

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SWIFT - Sample Waste Initiative in Furniture and Textiles
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org/sites/sustainablefurnishings.org/files/sfc-images/SWIFT%20faq%201209.pdf

An initiative to reduce/transform sample wastes in the textile and furniture industries.

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The Story of Stuff
http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Animated films explaining the real story of various industries.

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SFC Consumer Research Study - Contact Us for more info

We have commissioned a proprietary study to quantify and clarify the consumer point of view. view.

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Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products

An iniative by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development  to provide reliable, impartial and technically "easy-to-understand" information to assist sustainability officers and business procurement managers, especially major purchasers of wood and paper-based products, in their purchasing decisions.

http://www.sustainableforestprods.org/

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TerraChoice's 6 Sins of Greenwashing
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org/sites/sustainablefurnishings.org/files/sfc-images/6_sins.pdf

A study of environmental claims in North American consumer markets.

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Yale Forest Certification Report to USGBC - Yale Program on Forest Policy and Governance
http://yale.edu/forestpolicyandgovernance/USGBCFinal.htm

Assessing UCGBC's policy options for forest certification and the use of wood materials.