Is Palm Oil Bad or Good for the Environment?

June 23, 2021October 12, 2022 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on October 12th, 2022 at 09:01 pm

The palm oil controversy asks why it is bad but is there any good from it either? We take a look at how palm oil affects the environment and communities.

An important distinction to make is that the crop itself is not inherently bad for the environment, but rather the way plantations operate. We believe it is important to make that distinction because of our own commitment to sustainable practices. Only reporting that palm oil is bad is a “black and white” mindset that leaves little nuance for the communities trying to change its production.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Go Paperless: 10 Zero Waste Hacks to Save Paper (and Trees!)

May 24, 2021June 8, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on June 8th, 2021 at 09:21 am

In 2018, people in the US threw away 18.35 million tons of paper and paperboard. Paper products made up about 12 percent of landfill waste (EPA). But it doesn’t have to be this way… adopt these zero waste hacks to go paperless and reduce your impact!

1) Reuse whatever paper you already have

First things first, reuse before recycling! Those junk mail envelopes you’re planning to toss? Use them for your grocery list. Other paper items you can reuse are shipping mailers and cardboard boxes, paper bags, and documents with printing errors. Make sure you’ve used them until they’re no longer functional before recycling them!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

How is Furniture Made in the USA Actually Sustainable?

April 22, 2021April 26, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on April 26th, 2021 at 11:40 am

How Overseas Furniture Production is Problematic

Fast Fashion Furniture

A lot of the wood furniture you see in stores today is manufactured overseas. Fast fashion furniture is designed to be made as cheap and quickly as possible by cutting corners in the production process. Often the wood is harvested illegally from one of the world’s rapidly disappearing rainforests.

Not only is fast fashion furniture contributing to deforestation, but some brands are abandoning solid wood altogether. Brands like Ikea use particleboard and vinyl designed to look like wood in order to reduce overseas shipping costs. All of our furniture, except for our recycled plastic outdoor chairs, is made out of solid wood because of its long-lasting durability. Our furniture is meant to be enjoyed for a lifetime, not end up in a landfill like 80% of furniture.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

The Economic Impact of Sustainable Furniture

March 29, 2021April 21, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on April 21st, 2021 at 09:56 am

Sustainably managing forests is nothing new in Vermont. According to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, 75% of the landmass in our state is forest land. Over 2,000 businesses in the state rely on those forests to generate ~$1.5B in annual revenue.

“Vermont’s forest products industry generates an annual economic output of $1.5 billion and supports 10,000 jobs in forestry, logging, processing, specialty woodworking, construction, and wood heating. In addition, Vermont’s forest recreation economy (skiing, etc) generates another $1.9 billion in economic output, and supports 10,000 additional jobs.” – VSJF

Despite all the economic activity dependent on our forests, they’re still growing in size and density.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Women’s History Month: Dr. Suzanne Simard, a trailblazer in forest ecology

March 12, 2021March 18, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on March 18th, 2021 at 03:43 pm

Over the past few years, we’ve been learning more about how connected trees are to one another. I’m a big fan of ‘The Daily’ podcast from the New York Times and was super excited to see this topic covered during one of their Sunday Reads. ‘The Social Life of Forests’ inspired me to write about Dr. Suzanne Simard for Women’s History Month.

Dr. Suzanne Simard | The Mother Tree Project

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

How Sustainable Forestry in the Furniture Industry Protects the Planet

March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

We believe that practices are genuinely sustainable when they meet the needs of people, protect the planet, and create economic impact. As leaders in our industry, our goal is to highlight the innovative (and traditional) best practices that make it possible for wood furniture making to sustain itself for generations to come. Read part one of our triple bottom line sustainability series on people here.

Our Planet

Illegal logging and widespread deforestation has already begun to affect our climate and ecosystem. Rainforests that once covered 14% of the earth’s land surface now cover a mere 6%. The last remaining rainforests could be gone in less than 40 years. Rainforest deforestation is destroying or severely threatening nearly half of the world’s species of plants and animals over the next 25 years.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

How a Working Forest Contributes to a Healthier Ecosystem

February 14, 2021September 29, 2022 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on September 29th, 2022 at 02:48 pm

By managing our own forest here in Vermont since 2013, we have witnessed the beautiful harmony of a healthy ecosystem. When Vermont Woods Studios outgrew the spare bedroom in Peggy’s home, our team searched for a permanent home. Above all, our goal was to find a space that would reflect the values of the company and offer a home to showcase the works of Vermont’s finest furniture craftsmen. After a long search, we found Stonehurst. As you can imagine, we love every minute we get to spend out in our forest!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Sustainable Forestry in the Furniture Industry

January 29, 2021February 4, 2021 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on February 4th, 2021 at 11:29 am

cut lumber — *Photo by Denis Agati on Unsplash*

Sustainable forestry, the practice of actively managing and maintaining woodlands, is the only way to ensure the long term health and growth of the world’s forests. Although it might seem as though anything made from harvesting wood is harmful to the environment, that is actually not the case.

Sustainable forestry is at the core of Vermont Woods Studios’ business model: to provide handcrafted, custom wood furniture that is made sustainably right here in Vermont. We know a thing or two about sustainable forestry practices, because we’ve been managing our own forest here in Vermont since 2013.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Peggy Farabaugh	Kelsey Eaton	Riley Farabaugh
Megan Fulton	Marina McCoy	Alexandra Thompson
Dennis Shanoff	Katrina Moore	Loryn Dion
Sasha Weilbaker	Michelle Rooks	Admin