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Boy Do We Have It Easy: Four Easy Steps to Being A Wood
Floor Environmentalist
By Carol Goodwin
Hardwood Floors
Now is the time to arm our members with the positives about
wood and the facts to dispel the myths.
A few weeks ago an editor of a floor covering magazine related
her conversation with a home style magazine writer. Upon hearing
that some people thought carpets give people allergies the
writer said, “And I know why. Carpets hold all those
dust mites and germs.” The editor wrote, “If she
thinks that, what must her readers think?” This week
the same magazine had several articles about how the carpet
and linoleum industry is working to become more environmentally
responsible.
We wood people have it much easier. We don’t have to
talk about how our manufacturing processes are becoming more
environmentally friendly, because our products already are.
And now is the time to crank up the volume. Our kids are being
taught in school not to buy excess plastic packaging, to reuse
shopping bags, to conserve water and to carpool to reduce
air pollution, among other things. Forest issues are no longer
the major target.
Forestry environmentalists and forest industry are working
together on forest futures. The American Forest and Paper
Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the
Forest Stewardship Council’s wood certification programs
are being compared right now by the Meridian Institute in
DC with a report due out soon. A better alignment of those
groups could benefit the forests and the forest owners alike.
With those events in the making, let’s all start blowing
our own horn. Consider these four brief points on how to campaign
on the positives about wood:
- Find one compelling thing to say that supports our environment
and say it often, such as:
- “Did you know that the U.S. is the only country in
the world to have increased our forest cover in the 1990s,
according to the World Resources Institute Report?”
- “North America is being called a ‘carbon sink’
according to a Princeton University study. New trees soak
up more carbon dioxide and help prevent global warming.”
- Green taxes are a good idea. People who selectively
cut and replant trees should get a ‘carbon offset’
tax break much like the oil industry has done with sulphur
offsets.”
- Don’t take adverse comments about wood products or
the environment personally. Avoiding a defensive position
preserves your power to objectively hear the other person’s
views and offer other ways of thinking.
- Ask questions when someone starts to talk about their views
on the environment. They may or may not have your understanding
of the good news about wood and the environment. Don’t
assume they know the obvious. Spread the word.
- Do your best by the environment. It’s not always
easy. For example it can be hard to recycle everything we
would like to, but find a few things you can do consistently
to ‘green’ your businesses and your lives. Try
these ‘tips on greening your business’:
- Take any unused wood flooring or supplies to your local
Habitat for Humanity.
- Order some environmental forestry videos and play them in
your showroom.
- Host a toxic round up day. Your clients and the hazard
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