Environmental concern begins with a change in culture and habits.
Stair Supplies leads the way in responsible manufacturing of Stair Parts with a culture that values the environment and hates waste. Many employees have embraced a change in lifestyle through carpooling and bicycling to and from work. (The company president traded his 8 cylinder truck for a bicyle).
Energy Reduction
Nearly all of the machines at Stair Supplies have advanced controls that idle the motors or shut them down when not in use. The dust collection system has a series of gates which greatly reduce the energy required to remove sawdust and shavings.
Lumber Reduction and Recycling
Stair Supplies has partnered with lumber suppliers to use lumber from sustainable forests. Working with lumber suppliers Stair Supplies has reduced the amount of lumber required to manufacture premium quality stair parts by ordering exact sized lumber. The use of exact sized lumber has dramatically reduced wood waste. Sawdust is recycled into animal bedding and lumber edgings are used to heat the shop or given to people in the community to heat their homes.
Bio-Degradable Packaging
Packaging materials at Stair Supplies come from recycled products and are biodegradable. Recycled pallets, corrugated sheets and paper have reduced the need to put the packaging around stair parts into landfills.
Agencies and Certifications Available
In 1989, the Rainforest Alliance conceived the first worldwide forest management certification program. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), accredited this program for forest management certification and chain-of-custody (COC) certification. The thrust of this program is the third party (SmartWood) certification, seen as the most credible way to insure to the public and the world, that forests are being well managed and wildlife habitat maintained. Chain-of-custody certification of primary and secondary manufacturers and wholesalers ensures that only wood that comes from certified forests are sold to consumers as a certified product.
Forest Stewardship Council
FSC is an international environmental non-profit group founded in
1993 and established to set international forest management standards
and accredit and monitor certifiers. The FSC accreditation program
"certifies the certifiers", to ensure that certifiers comply with the FSC
principals and criteria for forest management. The following independent
organizations endorse the FSC standards:
SFI was created by the American Forest & Paper Association. This program sets forth recommended practices for land management, reforestation, growing, nurturing, and harvesting trees, conserving soil, plus maintaining air and water purity. It also acts to protect wildlife habitat. Many states mandate specific forestry management, known as "Best Management Practices", or "BMP"s, as part of the Clean Water Act written in 1972 by the federal government and incorporated in SFI, which is mandatory on private as well as public lands.
An international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of tropical rainforests for the benefit of the global community.
NHLA has its own environmental standards/programs, which include the practices endorsed by the Sustainable Forest Initiative, (SFI).
The Hardwood Manufacturers Association
An independent organization that provides facts, tips and useful advice about U.S. hardwoods and hardwood products. A source of practical ideas if you are selecting or caring for solid hardwood flooring, furniture, cabinetry and millwork. They provide information about U.S. hardwood forests and sustainable hardwood forestry.