Introduction
Just as there are many elements to your business, there are many elements to an environmentally sound wood and paper use strategy. The details will vary with the types of business and products involved.
Adopting and implementing a preference for FSC-certified products is one important step toward protecting forests and increasing the sustainability of your business.
If you haven’t already, please also consider adopting a comprehensive environmental wood and paper procurement policy that includes the following goals, where applicable:
- Reducing waste and unnecessary consumption
- Recycling
- Buying recycled products, including post-consumer content paper
- Buying reclaimed wood products
- Eliminating consumption of wood and paper products made from old growth and endangered forests
- Avoiding wood and paper products from other poorly-managed forests
- Using wood and paper products from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- Avoiding the SFI and other misleading marketing schemes
- Using chlorine-free paper products
- Using alternative fibers (e.g., agricultural residues) where life cycle analysis indicates they are environmentally preferable to wood fiber
- Supporting public policies that better protect forests, water, and wildlife
- Assessing the sources of your wood and paper
Resources and More Information
ForestEthics Model Forest Resources Policy.
Rainforest Action Network “Buy Good Wood” site.
Endangered Forest Definition.
Environmental Paper Network’s Common Vision for Environmental Paper. www.environmentalpaper.org/documents/CommonVision.pdf
Environmental Defense’s “Paper Calculator.”