When the most critical problems were brought to the attention of the SFC there was a consensus that the number one issue facing our industry and where we can have the largest impact is Global Warming. 

So how bad is it?

Many people here have probably heard and are aware that the Earth has warmed significantly over the last 100 years.  We have experienced a 1.5 degree Celcius average temperature rise.  This when compared to only a 2 degree warming trend over the last 1000 years, is significantly higher rate of warming, and has been increasing dramatically the last 20 years.

So, why is this important? 

Well, around 10,000 years ago, our planet for the first time in hundreds of thousands of years seemed to hit a period of climatic stability.  This stability seems to have been a major contributor to the rise of modern civilizations.  People who had to rely on hunting and migrating were able to settle down and count on weather patterns to bring them rain for crops and farming.  We began to thrive in this stable climate, and have built amazing things.

The effects that Global Warming could have are dramatic.  Current estimates suggest that by 2030, world average temperatures will rise by more than 2 degrees Celsius and by the end of 2100, it’s estimated to rise by 5 degrees.  A 5 degree temperature rise will cause sea levels to rise, displacing hundreds of millions of people and will result in less stable weather patterns, causing economic and personal hardships across the globe.  Currently over the last 100 years sea level has already been rising at an average rate of 1.8mm per year.  So, this is really happening.

You may ask how can furniture manufacturers affect Global Warming? 

First, lets look at the human causes of global warming.  The number 1 cause for global warming is the amount of C02 being produced.   Of that the burning of Fossil Fuels results in 75% of the human producted C02.  But, another number really will jump out.  24% of increased C02 levels have been caused by deforestation.  Furniture is the number 3 consumer of our forests.

Our forests overall health in Western Countries is holding steady and seem well managed, but drastic deforestation has been occurring in Africa, South America, and Oceana.  An organization called the Forest Stewardship Council has stepped into the role of certifying forests.  Their goal is to ensure the long term health of a forest and make sure local eco systems remain intact.  Wood purchased using the FSC Chain of Custody is a renewable resource and should always be selected over non certified woods.  There are also a few more wood certifications that we will discuss later.

Fossil Fuel produced C02 comes from a few different sources. 40% for electricity, while 30% of the C02 is generated is produced by transportation (ships, trucks, and cars).  So the other way our industry can cut back is by purchasing local goods, cutting back on electricity consumption and setting up a renewable energy source.  The simple and cost effective 1st step is cutting back on electricity consumption.  Again, an area we’ll discuss in detail later…

So, beyond Global Warming, there are a few other key issues to sustainability you should be aware of.

Indoor Air Quality: this is an interesting subject, especially because, of the recent CARB standards passed and implemented in 2009 by the State of California.  There is reason California has passed these laws.  Recent air quality studies found that the air you breath inside your house is 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air you breath outside.  Well, at least this is true in Europe and the Americas, but I’m not really sure in China, with the current air quality in Guangzhou.  This means that asthma and allergic reactions may have a lot to do with the materials a house and furnishings are not caused by bad air quality on the streets. The major culprit to watch are called Volitile Organic Compounds, or VOC’s. People with sensitive skin and allergies have long known this, but now the knowledge is coming to mothers and families and they are making purchasing decisions with this in mind.  The new laws on formaldahyde stem directly from this research.

These VOC’s are added to paints, adhesives, carpets, and finishes to keep them from getting hard.  They are great at keeping things liquid, but when they are let loose in the air, they are nasty cancer causing agents.  Over 30% of the VOC’s used today go into the furniture industry.

For those of you interested in alternative ways to improve your home or businesses air, there is a great video if you follow the link below.  It talks about 3 plants that can be grown indoors that can really help...

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/kamal_meattle_on_how_to_grow_your_own_fresh_air.html

Another big issue is Water.  Less than 1% of the world’s water is drinkable.  Pesticides and chemicals have leached into our water supplies and damaged an estimated 46% of drinkable water.  Textiles alone often require 10 times their weight in chemicals to produce and more than 8 million tons of chemicals are discarded every year.  Making sure that our children have clean water is a major concern in the green movement.