If you're buying, they're cutting..

Today's global economy is completely consumer driven -- people sell what the people want, period. If you reduce the demand, you reduce the supply requirements - our mission is to educate people on the ecological implications of their consumer decisions. For example, most people don't know that buying Brazilian Cherry floors or Teak furniture is ecologically irresponsible. Many of these manufacturers and resellers claim that the sources of their products are wood grown in plantations, but the fact is that less than 3% or tropical hardwood products are derived from plantation wood.

Please review our list of "Tropical Hardwoods to Avoid" when purchasing furniture, hardwood floors, or anything else made of wood. If you think, "what's another furniture set," you'll be amazed to know that as little as 10 board feet of useable lumber are extracted from the adult tropical hardwood trees that comprise the primary rainforest canopy, and that it can take several board feet to produce an outdoor furniture set. That said, your one purchasing decision can literally spare the life of several trees -- it's that serious.

Tropical Hardwoods to Avoid

Alerce - Central and South America Arucaria (Monkey Puzzle tree) - Central and South America Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) - Central and South America Cordia (Bocote) - Mexico, Central and South America, Fiji Dakua - Fiji Ebony - Western Africa with related species in India and Sri Lanka Greenheart - Guyana, British Guiana, West Indies Ipê (bethabara, Pau d'arco) - Mexico, Central and South America Iroko (African Teak) - Africa Jatoba - (Brazilian Cherry) Central and South America Jelutong - Indonesia and Malaysia Kapur (Borneo Teak) - South East Asia Lauan - South East Asia Lenga - Chile Mahogany - Mexico, Central and South America, Africa Merbau (Ipil, Kwila, Vesi) - Brazil, Southeast Asia Obeche - Africa Paduak (Vermillion, Pradu) - Africa, Thailand, Andaman Islands Purpleheart (Amaranth) - Brazilian Amazon, Mexico, Central America Rosewood - Central and South America, South East Asia Teak - Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia (also plantations in Indonesia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Africa) Tepa - Chile Spanish Cedar - Tropical America from southern Mexico to northern Argentina Jarrah - Australia Ulmo - Chile Utile - Africa Wenge - Africa Zebrawood - Africa