Why buy lumber that’s “certified green?” Which label is "green"-washing?
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Imagine it’s springtime and you finally have time to work on that remodeling project that you’ve been planning over the winter. You drive to your local hardware store to buy the building materials that you need.
As you look over the various types of lumber available, you see that some of the wood has been certified “sustainable” by one of two different organizations: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (the FSC). Both sound good, and you like the idea of supporting forestry that helps protect the environment.
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But what do those certification labels really mean, and is there a difference in the standards between FSC and SFI?
The truth is, there is a big difference in the two certifications. SFI is a label developed by the timber industry that is used to confuse consumers. SFI allows forest practices that are not ecologically defensible. Choosing to purchase wood with FSC certification really does make a difference because it supports sustainable forestry practices, helps sustain the ecosystem where the trees were logged, and also benefits the local people who are working to live in harmony with our planet.
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| Overwhelmingly, the principles and criteria established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) greatly exceed SFI in following strict environmental standards for the entire product that is being sold. The chart below summarizes why the environmental community favors FSC:
| Ecological and Forestry Differences |
FSC |
SFI |
| • Prescribes protections for sensitive, rare, threatened, and state and federally endangered listed species |
Yes |
No |
| • Prohibits release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) |
Yes |
No |
| • Adequately controls large-scale clear-cutting (average size 40 acres FSC, 120 acres SFI) |
Yes |
No |
| • Stops conversion of diverse natural forests to ecologically simplified monocultures |
Yes |
No |
| • Protects un-entered and intact old-growth forests |
Yes |
No |
*source: Barbara Bramble, National Wildlife Federation
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CSERC is not proclaiming that the standards set by the FSC are perfect. However, as the American Lands Alliance puts it, "While not perfect, FSC is the only certification system that employs environmentally, socially and economically rigorous standards, that are genuinely independent of the wood products industry and deserving of consumer preference."
The next time you or your friends or family have a project that requires the purchase of new lumber, ask your local hardware store if they carry FSC wood.
If they don’t, let them know it’s your preference for building material and see if they can order it for you. It’s one more way that you can help our global forests remain sustainable and healthy for future generations to come.
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