Wood Wise Furniture > About Us > Environmental Approach

Eco-passionate

When we think of sustainability, often we think of durability, longevity and environmental respect. In general, a sustainable practice is a practice that takes the health of the future into consideration. An unsustainable practice is one that has an unbalanced negative effect, which, through time, will adversely affect a person, society and/or the environment. Any practice that causes an irreversible resource depletion or long term environmental pollution is an unsustainable practice. If a particular company creates large amounts of waste by products during production, polluting the environment, this would be considered an unsustainable practice as well, regardless of what they are producing.

We at Wood Wise understand deeply that we have only one world that we all share with limited resources. The saying think globally, act locally is the guiding principle we adhere to in all areas that we can exert some control.

Sustainable Forestry

Trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually. One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year. One acre of trees removes up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Trees consume carbon all during their life. By harvesting and replanting you are helping to capture that carbon. When a tree comes to its full cycle and is let fall naturally it releases all the carbon it consumed. When the tree is harvested for consumption some of this carbon is released but the majority is withheld and locked into the wood. (See link for further details: http://www.epa.gov/sequestration/faq.html)

Sustainable forestry seeks a balance between society's increasing demands for forest products and benefits, and the preservation of forest health and diversity. Wood Wise plants a new tree for every project to replace what nature has given.

Please visit the following websites for more information on Sustainable Forestry and How you can help out directly!

www.fsccanada.org www.treecanada.ca www.sfiprogram.org

Supports OUR Local Community

The out sourcing of manufacturing jobs to cheaper labour markets overseas has helped create the record unemployment figures locally. Supporting local businesses along the entire supply chain helps your neighbours and helps our local economy. Jobs, from cutting, reforestation, lumbering into boards, kiln drying, trucking within the 150 km. parameter, sorting and grading, building and crafting, finishing and retail. Just imagine how many people are and can be employed in each of these processes, Canadians, your neighbours.

We use local indigenous tree species that are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) managed and controlled within 150 km. radius, locally milled, transported at a minimum, to the builders and finishers which are all in this radius.

Eco-Responsible

All of Wood Wises products are Built to Last, can be repaired and can be eco-refinished and never need see a landfill. Our Builders all practice recycling for fuel, for farm use, and are either now using or desire in the near future to have alternative energy to power buildings and machinery.

Our finishers use Water Base Finishes (unless otherwise specified or required). There are no VOC's (volatile organic compounds) in Water Base Lacquer, so from the time your cabinets and furniture arrive to your door, there are no toxins and is ready to use.