Here’s a link to a video on Green Remodelling. It has several good ideas in it for the Do-It-Yourselfer or building contractor who wants to “go green” in a home renovation project. There are two approaches mentioned in the video. One is energy efficiency which focuses on things like good insulation and windows that fit tightly. The other approach is to use materials that are reclaimed or have recycled content or come from rapidly renewable resources like bamboo flooring. These … [Read more...]
Sustainable Forest Certifications in North America
October 23, 2008 By 1 Comment
North American sustainable forestry certifications are outlined in an excellent article in January 2008 issue of Environmental Building News. You need a subscription to read it so I’ll render a précis here. Among others, the major certification organizations operating in North America are: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI); American Tree Farm System (ATFS); and Canadian Standards Association (CSA). FSC is a sprawling international not-for-profit with … [Read more...]
NWFA’s Gate-to-Gate is Short Life Cycle in Forest Products
October 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Following the National Wood Flooring Association’s promise to deliver a life cycle assessment of hardwood flooring, and leading consumers to believe that this would be a cradle to grave assessment, the NWFA sponsored a report that was not anywhere near what its title implied. The “Life Cycle Inventory of Solid Strip Hardwood Flooring in the Northeastern United States”, produced by the Consortium for Research for Renewal Industrial Materials (CORRIM), was conducted by a reputable group … [Read more...]
NWFA Press Releases: Examples of Hype in Enviromental Claims
October 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment
The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) likes to issue press releases with headlines like the following: Real Wood Floors: Wood Flooring is Green (March 14, 2008) Wood Floors Are Green (June 13, 2008) Of course, the NWFA is in the business of promoting wood flooring, so one might expect a little spin on the environmental benefits of their product. However, this is an age of sophisticated consumers and the NWFA would be well advised to tone down its rhetoric and put some … [Read more...]
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