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!
Posts Tagged: personal responsibility
September 12, 2009 by Jordan Erdos
Environmental Groups Spar Over Certifications of Wood and Paper Products
January 27, 2009 by Jordan Erdos
Paying the cost to be the boss
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.
December 28, 2008 by Jordan Erdos
The future’s so bright, I gotta reduce my carbon footprint
For me, the end of the year is always a time for personal reflection, within the context of a larger socio-political perspective. For each success I can count, each step forward toward improving myself, and thereby positioning myself to better address global concerns, there is a failure to accomplish certain objectives, or worse, a stasis or indifference that mocks the passing of time, as if the lack of progress in achieving my life’s aims is somehow acceptable because “there’s always tomorrow”.But the events of 2008 and the current poltical and economic crises of the world have opened many eyes to the fact that we can not wait until tomorrow to fix the problems we face right now. And so we are caught in a pickle — we must resolve the issues of today as quickly as possible without rushing into bad decisions that can ultimately complicate and worsen our current situation.Take, for example, U.S. energy policy. The race to embrace biofuels, which on the surface seemed a reasonable alternative to strictly petroleum-based fuels, has not only failed to resolve our energy issues and dependence on foreign oil, but, additionally, has led to an increase in global deforestation as countries seek a quick economic fix by converting “useless” forest lands into soy farms and has produced soaring food prices as alimentary crops are converted to cash crops, reducing supply to the world food markets.Still decisions must be made, and the question then remains, “By whom?” Are you willing to stand silently by and let others do the hard work for you, resulting in outcomes that may reflect more the selfish desires of a few rather than the general welfare of generations to come? Or will you become an active participant in defining our global priorities and lend your voice, your time, your resources to making the necessary improvements? Just why did we evolve from random bands of hunters and gatherers to become civilized societies with collective concerns if we are unable to successfully resolve those concerns?Each year offers us a chance to start anew. We can dwell on our mistakes and wallow in the mire of stasis, or we can take stock of our successes and failures of the previous year and, understanding what role we played in the ultimate outcome, apply ourselves with renewed vigor to the tasks that lie ahead.What role can we play as individuals in addressing the looming concerns, such as global climate change? How can each of us contribute in a positive way to resolving often-elusive problems? Thousands of points of light must shine together in eternal vigilance, reflecting on the past while illuminating the difficult road ahead.
