NEW IN GRIST
Certifiably Insane?
Timber Industry's Sustainable Forestry Initiative Falls Short
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative sounds right fine -- a labeling system intended to assure consumers that the wood they are purchasing came from environmentally responsible sources. But enviros contend that the industry-backed certification program amounts to little more than greenwashing, attempting to put an eco-friendly face on the same old industry practices. A dispute over this issue has been heating up in recent months, with SFI launching a big-bucks media campaign to promote its label and the Rainforest Action Network and a coalition of partners launching a "Don't Buy SFI" counter-campaign that warns consumers not be hoodwinked by SFI's claims. Jeff Shaw reports on the battle over sustainable-forestry standards and wood labels -- only on the
Grist Magazine website.