In a few weeks from now, a “sustainable” furniture shop called Nativa will open about two blocks from my house in San Diego. Large posters advertise that “beauty and style can sustain nature” and also proclaim, “These posters are made out of recycled paper and 100% biodegradable ink!” However, upon further research, I discovered that Nativa uses farmed tropical wood in 3/4 of their products. The other quarter of their supply comes from logged trees. Tree farming may be a step up from good old fashioned logging, but consumers should realize that tree farms – as with many other farms – are often ridden with negative environmental impacts.
Tree farms are largely mono-cultures. They do not support natural ecosystems because of their heterogeneous nature. Furthermore, old forests are usually cleared in the creation of such farms. Because farmed trees are inbred, they are sometimes subject to genetic defects, which weaken the strength of the wood. Trees with such defects also pose a threat to surrounding natural forest – if they interbreed with native trees, the defects can harm surrounding ecosystems.
Therefore, I suggest that people choose the lesser of two evils in purchasing environmentally friendly furniture and shop for recycled wood products. There are plenty of companies out there producing fashionable home ware using reclaimed wood. Not only does recycled wood cut down on logging and reliance on tree farms; it is less subject to warping and often stronger than new wood.
I especially like The Wooden Duck, a stylish company based out of Berkeley. Or, if you want to go for even less impact, shop at second-hand stores – it’s convenient and easy on your budget!
Pictured at top is the The Wooden Duck’s Biedermeier Bed constructed of recycled Douglas Fir.
RSS
