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Choosing toys made from sustainable wood protects against deforestation, which prevents erosion, run-off pollution, and global warming, and preserves unique ecosystems and tree varieties.

How to choose toys made from sustainable wood

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization working to protect the world's forests by tracking wood harvesting practices from the forest floor to store shelves. They're recognized by numerous nonprofit environmental organizations as the leader in sustainable forest management. To find FSC sustainable-certified wood products for your children follow these basic guidelines:

1. When browsing in a store, be sure to look for the FSC logo on wooden toys. Most items made with FSC-certified wood have on-product FSC labels. However some companies aren't consistent about applying them.
2. If a company claims that a product is FSC-certified, but it doesn't bear the logo, ask to see the supplier's FSC certificate and/or product tracking information, including invoices or receipts (which should indicate FSC-certification).

If FSC-certified wood toys aren't readily available at your local store, then check the Forest Certification Resource Center, which has a searchable database of suppliers and companies who are currently making and selling certified wood furniture. Look for those companies who use only FSC-certified wood.

Find it! Toys made from sustainable wood products

Find the perfect toy for your child with companies such as these that offer sustainable wood products.

Choosing toys made from sustainable wood helps you go green because…

• Sustainably managed forests prevent deforestation, which in turn protects soil, waterways, wildlife, and ecosystems, and reduces global warming emissions.

Traditional wood products, such as furniture and some children’s toys, are often made from mahogany and other tropical hardwoods, which are harvested by clear cutting environmentally sensitive areas.[1] The majority of this wood comes from the world’s rainforests. In fact, an area of rainforest the size of 37 soccer fields is cut down every minute.[2]

These forest ecosystems are critical to maintaining life on Earth. They filter the air, stabilize climate by absorbing CO₂, and provide habitat for 90 percent of all land-dwelling plant and animals species.[3] The deforestation caused by traditional wood harvesting leads to erosion, run-off pollution in waterways, global warming, and loss of wildlife habitat.[2]

Toys made from wood that is certified by the FSC as coming from sustainably managed forests are available as a green alternative. As demand for wood and other forest products has grown, many groups have worked to develop a management system that promotes responsible forest practices to protect trees, soil, waterways, and wildlife while maximizing the quality and quantity of timber. Forest certification alerts consumers that wood products come from properly managed forests.[4][3]

Controversies

Buying wood with some type of environmental certification can help ensure it was harvested sustainably, however not all certifying bodies are equal. FSC is the only international accrediting body which guarantees that wood has been sustainably harvested. There are several other labels used to certify wood which are not nearly as rigorous.[5] For instance, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) (developed by the American Forest & Paper Association, an industry trade group) was found to have significant shortcomings when compared to FSC.[6]

The anti-SFI coalition (including such groups as ForestEthics, Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and Natural Resources Defense Council) has charged SFI with failing to effectively protect forests (especially old growth stands) by permitting members to indiscriminately log diverse forests and replace them with a single species, ignoring crucial social issues, and delivering no credible assurances to the consumer.[7][8]

Glossary

• old growth forest: Also known as virgin forest, ancient forest, or primary forest, old growth forest is an area of forest which has attained great age, containing a variety of vertical layers of vegetation, including large live trees. These forests may also be home to many rare species that are dependent on these ecologically unique old growth features.[9]

External links

• Greenpeace
• Sierra Club
• ForestEthics
• Rainforest Action Network
• Forest Certification Resource Center
• Forest Stewardship Council International
• SmartWood - Certification of Wood, Paper and Forest Products
• Natural Resources Defense Council - Good Wood: How Forest Certification Helps the Environment
• EcoTimber - Environmental & Sustainable Flooring: Is it Really Eco? Don't be Fooled!