Environmental Groups Spar Over Certifications of Wood and Paper Products

Jordan Erdos — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:18:56 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/science/earth/12timber.html?ref=business
Certification, in its true form, provides consumers with a certain assurance that products were harvested in a sustainable matter. The FSC has credibility exactly because of the rigorous requirements for certification and follow-up audits. It is very dangerous to both certification as a conservation tool and insurance to the consumer that the product met a high level of standards. Caveat emptor!

Paying the cost to be the boss

Jordan Erdos — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:11:05 +0000

The New York Times reported today that a battle is heating up (pun intended) over the Obama administration’s global climate change policy. On the one side are the East Coast states and California, which have been leading the country in environmental regulation, and on the other are the Midwest and Plains States, which are dependent upon coal and manufacturing – leading contributors of the CO2 emissions that lead to climate change. Full story.President Obama’s insistence on addressing global climate change, as promised during his campaign, is a refreshing change and an encouraging step forward. While recent polls indicate that environmental issues register fairly low on the national priority list of most Americans, these are nevertheless issues that we must continue to tackle whether the global economy is hearty or at a standstill.Given the contentiousness of focusing upon manufacturing and coal emissions, perhaps the Obama administration would be better off turning its attention to an area that is responsible for 20% of all carbon emissions worldwide — the destruction of the world’s forests. One important manner in which the United States could have an impact in this area would be in promoting tropical hardwood certification. By certifying that tropical hardwoods have been harvested in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner, we could provide American consumers with information that would allow them to make purchasing decisions based upon their effects upon the environment. Rather than contribute further to the conditions that lead to global climate change, consumers may be made aware of the effect of their consumption decisions.Certification is just one way of raising consumer consciousness. If we are to truly begin to address carbon issues, we must all become more aware of our personal impact upon the globe. The next time you are shopping for food or household goods, take a moment to consider where those goods are coming from and how they have arrived in your local store. Often the price on the tag does not reflect the true cost of the product.

Rainforest Partnership » Certification

Environmental Groups Spar Over Certifications of Wood and Paper Products

Paying the cost to be the boss