Thesis 2: Quality furniture is green.

Premise 1: Efficiently manufactured furniture is green.

Durham Bookcases uses similar principles when we manufacture furniture. When we cut parts we try to get as much out of a single piece of wood as we can. This is simply good business. But it’s also Green Design. By maximizing the use of natural resources we can provide quality products that consume less to produce. (Check out our page on Green Bookcases for more).

Premise 2: Furniture that uses less oil and other synthetic based products is green.

When we finish a piece of furniture, we use a water-based poly acrylic finish and water based stains. This means that unlike the oil-based stains and finishes of the past, the finish does not require paint or lacquer thinner to clean up. Water works fine. It also is not near as noxious for our finishing staff. Hendrickson et. al. note “For most consumers, energy efficiency and recyclability are less important product attributes, which means that designers cannot compromise other product attributes in becoming green.” [1] Because the technology behind water-based finishes has improved so much, with our products you don’t have to sacrifice a strong finish to save the environment.

Premise 3: Durable furniture is green.

If something is durable it does not have to be replaced. This removes the problem of it rotting in a dump. It also means that you don’t have to pay to replace it. Also quality durable furniture can probably be repaired or refinished unlike laminated MDF. So if your bookcase gets a scratch in it, it can most likely be fixed. If a piece of molding gets damaged, it can be repaired. Also durable furniture is furniture that will last. This means that when your son or daughter gets their first place and needs a shelf or table, you can pass the piece on to them. They don’t have to buy anything, which reduces consumption of natural resources and energy.

Conclusion

So here the logic. Cheap furniture does not care about the environment because it is more prone to breaking, so it can’t be repaired, and it ends up in a landfill. Quality furniture cares about the environment because:

  • efficiently manufactured furniture is green
  • furniture that minimizes the use of oil and other synthetic material is green
  • durable furniture is green.

Try to buy furniture that meets these criteria. Check out local shops instead of big box stores. And if you’re having trouble finding one check us out at www.thebookcaseshop.com. So next time your driving your hybrid car to the store to shop for furniture ask yourself if what you’re going to buy matches the car you drive.

[1] Hendrickson, Chris, Noellette Conway-Schempf, Lester Lave, and Francis McMichael. 2012. “Introduction to Green Design.” Green Design Institute. Accessed January 11. http://gdi.ce.cmu.edu/education/courses.html.