How To: Furnish a "Green" Home

So, what can a consumer do? Hiller suggests asking questions. For example, ask where the furniture is made. Local sourcing is best. The farther away your furniture is made, the less you know about its background and the more transportation is required (the second largest cause of emissions). Ask for local products and insist on FSC-certification or chains of custody from hot spots like Indonesia and the Philippines.

You may want to know what wood is in the furniture and if it is certified. Around the world, FSC-certified represents the most rigorous standards with on-site verification. If the wood is not certfied, ask for fast-growing and/or commercially harvested species such as bamboo and mango.

Learn what finish is on the wood. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are toxic pollutants in most finishes such as varnish, lacquer, and shellac. Ask for water-based finishes or natural waxes that have up to 85 percent less VOCs.

Ask whether the manufacturer has an energy reduction plan. Burning fossil fuels produces the most carbon dioxide (CO2), and generating electricity is the number one use.

Be prepared to hear “I don’t know” and “Let me check,” but keep asking.