One of the foremost issues haunting the world today is deforestation. It poses a risk to the whole world since trees have a direct impact on climate change. The Forest Stewardship Council’s mission is to promote responsible logging and to bring awareness to different parts of the world. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is a not-for-profit organization. It seeks to promote the proper management of forests in order to preserve this natural resource.Various environmentally concerned groups from different parts of the world formed FSC and they continue to be the watchful eyes that protect the forests. The FSC monitors the entire globe and act as an advocacy group for responsible forestry.
Forest Management
The FSC logo is the mark identifying logs that were cut or grown from sustainable forests. Their logo is an outline of a tree with a check on the left portion. Logs are stamped with the FSC logo when it is proven that they have come from forests managed with the highest environmental criteria. One of the ways they achieve this is to create planted forests for harvesting. In fact the FSC stated in 2004 that “planted forests make up 5% of the world’s forest cover and produce 35% of all wood harvested”.
FSC Certified Materials
Most government agencies in various countries today advocate FSC certified materials. You will often find wood products that carry the FSC logo on everything from logs to finished products.
A wide variety of companies also carry the FSC certification logo on various paper products. When you see paper with the FSC logo, you can rest assured that the source and the process of manufacturing that paper adhered to the highest social and environmental standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Why FSC?
Choosing to patronize FSC products can greatly benefit the environment, particularly the forests. In fact, FSC aims to educate consumers on how important it is to determine between products that are eco-friendly and those that do not adhere to conscientious standards.
Patronizing FSC certified goods helps to prohibit the conversion of natural forests and the use of hazardous pesticides, while at the same time showing your respect for the rights of indigenous people all over the world who are still living in forested areas.
Choosing an FSC certified product is an important step in living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Since every choice you make as a consumer matters, consider FSC certified products the next time you are shopping. It’s a choice you can feel good about and every little bit contributes to the greater good.
References
(2010) About FSC. Retrieved August 16, 2010
(2010) FSC Certified Paper. Retrieved August 16, 2010
(2010) Forest Stewardship Council. Retrieved August 16, 2010
(2010) Forest Stewardship Council. Retrieved August 18, 2010
