So, knowing that we're on the verge of doing some constructing now that we're nearing the end of desconstructing on our renovation project, I've been doing some research to find sources of lumber besides Home Depot. I filled out a comment form on the web site of a local chain about FSC-certified wood and was surprised to get a thoughtful response within an hour:
We do not stock certified lumber because of the additional cost. We have sold at least one commercial project that required FSC material and it was 30% more expensive than our "normal" lumber. If you would like, I would be happy to have one of our salespeople obtain a quote for you, although I believe that the less you need, the more the difference will be. We've actually been giving the green building movement quite a bit of consideration lately and trying to figure out what role Big C Lumber should play.So, let me ask you a question or two since you obviously are interested in the responsible management of our forests. Is paying 30% more for lumber from a managed forest worth it? How about low-VOC adhesives, low-formaldehyde sheathing and flooring products? Are they of interest if they add say $1,000 to the cost of the project? What other interests might you have coming from a pro-managed forest perspective?
You asked a pretty simple question and received four questions in return! Any input would be appreciated.
Here is my response:
Wow! Thanks for your prompt and thoughtful response, Matt. I'm really glad to hear that Big C is thinking about what its role is in the future. I think, as a society, we can't continue to keep doing things the way we've been doing them (lumber and otherwise) and I think businesses who make changes now will be ahead of the curve. And hopefully more demand for 'green' building materials would bring prices down a bit.If there were FSC-certified wood (or locally harvested that could be verified) readily available in common sizes at Big C, we'd pay 30% extra. Being able to trust a local chain saves time on research (I'm spending hours looking for local mom-and-pop sources or trying to find recycled stuff) and gives us peace of mind about the materials we're using in a living space, which is our current project. If cost is really an issue, as it is with our project, people can be creative to off-set costs in other ways. We've been finding used materials on Craig's List and salvaging from demolition in order to be able to afford things like low-E windows and a high-efficiency furnace. We will still end up spending more than doing things the quick-and-easy way, but we're trying to think long-term, even as we try to complete a project relatively quickly.
If you were to introduce a selection of lumber and other products that are environmentally-sensitive, I think that in an area like northern Indiana and southwest Michigan, you'd have to be willing to do some education as well and have a budget for targeted advertising and networking--with universities, extension offices and environmental organizations as well as influential individuals like city managers, contractors, bloggers, community activists and others. A lot of people who would want to purchase these kinds of materials also have a desire to shop more locally than big boxes Home Depot, so being able to buy stuff from a regional business would be a double-bonus.
So there are some of my thoughts. Let me know if I can offer any more feedback. I'm not sure exactly what the parameters of your inventory are, but there are a lot of innovative green products out there--one need only read a few issues of a magazine like Natural Home to get a lot of ideas. Real linoleum flooring, recycled denim insulation...lots of possibilities.
I would love to see positive changes start happening on such a local level with smaller chains, which requires a bit of financial investment and a good dose of imagination. It was refreshing to get a response that didn't patronize me for being a tree-hugger, but took seriously our desire to do things a different, better way. Hopefully this exchange can be a small component of a larger catalyst.
I noticed that some of the lumber at my local Lowes is FSC certified.
Thanks, Jeff. I'll check into that. I've heard similar things about Home Depot, but haven't verified it with the store near our project. I'm glad to hear that larger chains are going that direction.
I did find out that Standard Lumber, a small west Michigan chain, has converted one of its stores to a green store with all FSC-certified lumber, but then there are transportation considerations. It's a question worth discussing: do we buy certified lumber 80 miles away or do we support our small town economy by purchasing non-certified lumber from the locally-owned store down the street?
Yes, that is similar to the tension one sometimes faces with food. Organic food grown in California and shipped to our locale,and sold through a franchise like Whole Foods,.. or locally produced non-organic available at the Farmer's Market wherein the grower sees most of the profit and with whom one has a relationship. Fortunately, just this year, an organic CSA started in our area.
In speaking to folks at many lumberyards, the vast majority of softwood lumber (2X4's, etc) now comes from either Scandinavia or Eastern Europe (usually Czechoslovakia). So yes, much of this lumber might be FSC certified, but it is traveling not just 2000 miles but across the ocean!
I would like to see things go one step further on lumber, at least for areas that are forested, and that would be lumber that is sustainably grown and harvested, and then sold locally. I used to have a local sawyer that purchased logs which he cut and air-dried himself. The price was below Lowes or Home Depot and was typically of superior species such as poplar, or red maple. However, he did not cut the wood, so he could not guarantee what practices were used in the growing and harvesting of the trees.