Greenpeace have just launched their Good Wood Guide.
It is not quite finished, but will give you some ideas about where to start looking for sustainable timber. It's a really difficult project, as truly knowing if wood is good means knowing the entire process from the tree to the piece of timber. This was the idea behind FSC timber. However FSC timber producers are only just starting up in Australia, so generally any FSC timber you would be purchasing would be imported from overseas.
The Rainforest Information Centre's NSW Good Wood Guide was really awesome but sadly it is now out of date, and no funds to update it. However it has great background information to help you understand the real issues of purchasing sustainable timber.
My answer is to use secondhand wherever possible! Flooring, windows and doors especially are easy, and so much cheaper, if not free!!
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3 comments:
I'm wondering whether the Greenpeace Good Wood guide includes everythgin that is FSC because (and I'm not an expert on this) I thought some very dodgy logging operations (such as Victorian or Tasmanian native forest logging) were getting certified which would make the whole certification process a joke!
I know, it really needs some follow up... but I want to keep faithful, because it really is a good theory, and I know some good peeps involved in it.. maybe I can get them to enter the discussion...
Hi Jo
Currently in Australia there ar 2 certification standards, there is the FSC and the AFS (Aust. Forestry Standard). FSC is a bottom up stakeholder driven process, international not for profit organisation that certifies forests around the world, AFS is an Australian industry driven standard. The AFS have certified Gunns in Tasmania, and most/all the major stae run forestry agencies on the east coast. FSC have not certified any native forests operations in Tasmania or Victoria, but have certified our forestry operations in the Hunter Valley of NSW. James FT australian sustainable timbers
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