OVERVIEW
Is wood a sustainable material? It depends: a table made from reclaimed wood has a much smaller environmental footprint than one sourced from a monoculture plantation that replaced a rainforest.
Defining responsible material sourcing—and then finding responsibly sourced products—is complicated. Here you will find in-depth resources that detail the benefits and challenges of using biobased materials, reclaimed wood, fly ash, and other materials. Our resources also detail which companies and industries are ahead of the curve in offering responsible choices.
What about the materials you don’t use? Using less is always a good idea—as long as that doesn’t compromise performance.
Doing more with less takes knowledge and attention: it’s about investing in human resources instead of wasting natural resources. And since our small planet has more humans every day, we’re not likely to run out of them anytime soon. Durability, efficient structural systems, and repairing and retrofitting rather than replacing are all key strategies to consider.
IN-DEPTH
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Greenest Greenbuild Products for the Indoor Environment and More
Product Review
We look at products that improve indoor environmental quality and check in on advances from previous Top 10 winners.
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CalStar Suspends Fly Ash Brick Production
News Brief
CalStar Products, Inc. stopped production of its fly ash brick products on October 1 due to financial difficulties.
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Bamboo Flooring: Still Green, for a Price
Product Review
Bamboo flooring, the rapidly renewable darling of the green building movement, is still sustainable if you are willing to pay for quality.
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Gunlocke Seat Back Goes Red-List Free Using Mushrooms
Product Review
The first furniture manufacturer incorporates Myco Board because the mushroom-based product is a sturdier alternative to plywood.
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Low-Cost 3D Wall Panels Use Sugarcane Waste
Product Review
Inhabit and WallArt offer decorative three-dimensional wall panels made from bagasse, or sugarcane waste fiber, and with no chemical binders or flame retardants.
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Getting “Conflict Minerals” Out of Our Products
Primer
While “blood diamonds” get attention, mining of metals like tin and tungsten helps finance civil wars. Here’s a look at the movement to change that.
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Certified Wood Update: Comparing SFI to FSC on Key Forestry and Health Issues
Webcast
FSC-certified wood is ingrained in green building rating systems like LEED and the Living Building Challenge, but rival SFI has a revised standard. Can it prove it’s just as good on the issues that matter most?
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Plum Creek SFI Certification, Audit Process Challenged in Oregon
News Analysis
An Oregon nonprofit is seeking to suspend Plum Creek’s SFI certificate in Oregon due to legal violations. The company says it has already addressed the issues.
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Wood Structures Could Reduce Global Carbon by Almost a Third
News Brief
Using sustainably harvested timber in place of concrete, steel, and brick would have a massive positive impact, a new study asserts.
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Benjamin Moore Natura Adds Mystery Biobased Content
Product Review
Natura Renew uses 40% biobased-content resins, but the company says it doesn't know the source, making it difficult to judge environmental performance.
