Sustainability

Are we running out of hardwoods?

• About one-third of the United States is covered by forests, encompassing over 818 million acres of the United States (excluding the U.S. territories). 
• Every year the forest industry, together with federal and state forest agencies, plants more than 1 billion trees.
• Forest Statistics of the United States 2002 shows that the U.S. grows six times more hardwoods than are harvested each year.
• The American Hardwood Information Center reports the volume of hardwoods in American forests has increased 131% since 1953. 
• In fact, the North American Forest Foundation says if hardwood trees stopped growing right now and the same rate of harvesting continued, the hardwood timber supply would last for more than 75 years.

Is hardwood flooring sustainable?

In the world of flooring, wood floors are naturally the most environmentally-friendly and sustainable option. That is because wood is the only natural resource on Earth that is renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, and reusable. 

• Renewable: Considered the world's first source of energy, today more than two billion people around the world depend on wood for heat and light. 
• Recyclable: Because it is an all-natural, plant-based product, wood can be recycled into wood chips and mulch for use in gardens and landscaping. 
• Biodegradable: Because wood is made from organic fibers, it naturally decomposes when exposed to the elements. 
• Reusable: Hardwood flooring can be reclaimed and reused as flooring once again or in other wood products. 

Is hardwood good for the environment?

In addition to it being a sustainable option for flooring, hardwood also provides many positives to our environment, economy, and way of life. 

• American hardwoods help reduce the net amount of carbon dioxide in the air as they grow while helping provide oxygen we need to live. 
• Even when made into a finished product like flooring, hardwood continues to hold in the carbon dioxide it has soaked up, storing it for the duration of its life. 
• American Hardwood forests also offset 12-15% of U.S. industrial carbon emissions each year. 
• Because wood is a natural product, the production of wood flooring does not involve the use of harmful chemicals and normally uses less energy and produces less waste compared to other flooring types.
• About 950,000 Americans are employed in the forest products industry. Many millions more employed in the home construction, home furnishing, transportation, and heavy equipment industries owe their jobs to this one basic industry that converts harvested timber to finished products.