Forests are integral to life on Earth. They filter the air we breathe, purify the water we drink, prevent erosion, and act as an essential buffer against climate change. They are a home for plants and animals and provide crucial natural resources from timber and food to medicinal plants. They also sustain the lives of local communities and help them to prosper.
Important as they are, forests around the world are under threat. Despite the critical role forests play in the world's environmental and economic health, we continue to lose forests and the endangered animals in them. In 2020, the tropics lost more than 12 million hectares of tree cover. That's roughly 30 soccer fields' worth of trees every single minute. Illegal logging, poor forest management practices, and growing demand for forest and agricultural products contribute to their rampant destruction. As a result, nearly half the world's original forests have been lost.
What can you can do to help?
Deforestation is a complex problem. While there is no silver bullet, there are things we can do to make a big difference to save our forests. Buying responsibly sourced 'FSC Certified' wood products is a good place to start.
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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), was set up in 1994 and has grown to become the world's most respected and widespread forest certification system. FSC is a non-profit organisation that sets certain high standards to make sure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner. If a product, like a our coffee cups, is labelled as "FSC Certified," it means that the paper used in the product and the manufacturer that made it met the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council.
What are responsibly managed forest?
The FSC standards protect our forests, the people and the wildlife who rely on them. Restricting hazardous chemicals and following FSC harvesting and forestry practices minimises degradation and erosion. They ensure a diversity of animals, trees and other plants, as well as safe working conditions. Lastly, FSC provide better jobs for local communities and respect the rights of local people.
What is an FSC Certification?
FSC's pioneering certification system, which now covers more than 200 million hectares of forest, enables businesses and consumers to choose wood, paper and other forest products made with materials that support responsible forestry.
FSC chain of custody certification verifies that FSC-certified material has been identified and separated from non-certified and uncontrolled material as it makes its way along the supply chain, from the forest to the market.
You can make a difference in the fight to save forests by making informed daily choices. By consuming less, avoiding single-use packaging, and choosing recycled or responsibly-produced wood products, we can all be part of the movement to protect our forests.
RESOURCES
FSC: www.fsc.org/en
Greenpeace: www.greenpeace.org/usa/forests/solutions-to-deforestation
WWF: www.worldwildlife.org/industries/responsible-forestry
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