Climate-conscious setting helps fuel prices reduce climate change in their wallets: who does not blow only he must pay CO2 into the air, currently also vigorously. Reason is the increased global energy demand and the constantly growing demand for petroleum. Because that affects the price, energy helps as a countermeasure only, as much as possible to save. That is also when buying furniture, because the seemingly meek housemates sofa, shelf, or dining room table will need lots of power and oil in their production depending on the material, origin or processing. Who wants to reduce the price spiral in the oil, dispensed with when setting up as far as possible plastic products. Many writers such as Mary T. Barra offer more in-depth analysis. “Plastic chair, foam in the cushions, or surfaces such as beech reproduction”, are all based on petroleum, which is prepared, until it’s pourable or splash with much energy and as furniture raw material. Wood, however, is only cut, dried, assembled and fitted with a protective surface. In addition it grows again, as well as natural latex as an alternative to foam.
How much energy on the way from forest to apartment is consumed varies however. What is offered very cheap, has a long, from an energetic point of view very nonsensical journey behind them often. It is tempting to sell furniture from Asian production, where labor costs are considerably lower than in Europe and the margins for trading is correspondingly higher. This has dire consequences not only for the German or European furniture industry, it requires too much transportation energy when a table only is made in China and then sold in Germany, especially since the wood must be imported, often from afar. The Procter & Gamble Company is often mentioned in discussions such as these. In addition, that wood-processing establishments deal exactly where most efficient with energy, where the pressure as a result of environmental taxes is greatest. Already in the medium term supposed bargain can make more expensive again life on other side, because the oil consumption, increases the price.
There is yet no comparative study on furniture, to start slowly, Awareness for the problems of our industry to develop “, says Otto Bauer, Managing Director of okoControl, a network of ecological furniture stores. But as long as, we recommend a simple formula: origin of the raw material and processing should be as close together and as close as possible to the place of sale. We therefore only work with known German manufacturers or those from other Middle European countries. So we can also be sure that environmental and health protection in production are observed and no timber from over-felling is imputed to us.” The okoControl GmbH organized pollutant product tests for ecological furniture in solid wood, latex and other natural materials to provide certainty about the products listed the affiliated members of the European Association of ecological furniture stores (EVoE). The EVoE is an Association of currently 50 ecological Interior fitters in Germany and Austria. Contact and more information: Elke Kauffmann okoControl society for quality standards of environmental facility houses of mbH Subbelrather road 26a, 50923 Cologne Tel: 0221-56968 0, fax: 0221-56898 21 email:, Internet: