Is this the first time The Home Depot has addressed its wood purchasing
practices?
No, in 1999 we first released our Wood Purchasing Policy. This was one of our
first steps towards supporting sustainable forestry throughout the world. In
it, we stated that we would stop buying from endangered regions by the end of
2002 and that we would pay special attention to species such as lauan, cedar,
and redwood.
What changes has The Home Depot made in product lines to promote
sustainable forestry?
We began to give preferential treatment to certified products about two years
ago. In addition, we have shifted procurement of wood from questionable
sources to companies that practice responsible forestry.
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We sell more FSC certified wood than any other retailer in America
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Transitioned more vendors to FSC certified wood than any other retailer in
America
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Stopped buying ramin dowels and shifted to FSC certified eucalyptus dowels
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Replaced carpenter pencils with FSC certified pencils
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Worked with our vendors to shift more than 80% of our lauan wood used in the
production of doors to wood from more sustainable sources
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Replaced mahogany levels with domestically engineered wood
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Reduced our purchases of Indonesian lauan by more than 70%. The minimal amount
of lauan purchases that remain in Indonesia are strategically placed with
vendors that are aggressively pursuing certification, and have been engaged in
third-party audits
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Moved more than 90% of our cedar purchases to second- and third-growth forests
in the United States. The remaining cedar purchases are sourced from coastal
British Columbia and have been through the local community stakeholder review
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Significantly increased our FSC certified redwood. Our two primary suppliers
of redwood both give a strong purchasing preference for FSC certified wood and
we will continue to exercise a preference for certified redwood
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Introduced a line of building materials manufactured from wheat straw,
including shelving, panel products and underlayment; many of these products
are used as substitutes for tropical hardwoods
These are just ten examples of our commitment to sustainable forestry through
partnership with our vendors. There are many more.
See Product Shifts
How has The Home Depot addressed endangered regions?
We have moved volumes of wood product purchases sourced from sensitive areas
to more sustainable and less controversial areas. Even today there is limited
scientific consensus on identifying "endangered regions" of forestry. We go to
great lengths to track all of our products that contain wood including
partnering with our vendors to gain the most accurate information possible. In
addition, we closely monitor the state of the world's forests paying
particular attention to environmentally sensitive regions.
Is The Home Depot still purchasing lauan, cedar, and redwood?
We have made substantial changes to how and where we purchase these species.
Lauan: Since 1999 we have reduced our purchases of Indonesian lauan by over
70%. The minimal amounts of lauan purchases that remain in Indonesia are
strategically placed with vendors that are aggressively pursuing
certification, and have been engaged in third-party audits. We are working
with many organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Tropical Forest
Foundation, Tropical Forest Trust and World Wildlife Fund to help solve the
many issues facing Indonesian forests. We believe that by staying engaged in
this region we can make a more positive impact on sustainable forestry than if
we turn our backs and purchases on this region. Cedar: We have moved over 90%
of our cedar purchases to second- and third-growth forests in the U.S. This
leaves the balance of cedar purchases being sourced from coastal British
Columbia (BC). The products harvested in BC have been through the local
community stakeholder review. The vendors supplying cedar products to us in BC
are practicing variable retention along with other sustainable forestry
practices. In addition, our vendors are participating in the Joint Solutions
Process negotiations. Redwood: We are the single largest distributor of FSC
certified redwood in America. Our two primary suppliers of redwood both give a
strong purchasing preference for FSC certified wood. Three out of every four
acres of commercially managed redwood is independently certified. We will
continue to exercise a preference for certified redwood.
How much of The Home Depot's wood comes from the Amazon Basin?
Of all the wood we sell, less than 0.15% is tropical hardwood from the Amazon
Basin.
How much of the world's wood does The Home Depot use?
We sell less than 1% of all the wood cut in the world.
See Production & Consumption
What organizations is The Home Depot working with to promote sustainable
forestry?
We have worked with several organizations that monitor the condition of the
world's forests. These organizations also help us promote sustainable forestry
through education and information sharing. Examples of these organizations
include Canadian Forest Service, Certified Forest Products Council,
Conservation International, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, Forest Landowners Association, Global Forest & Trade Network,
National Association of State Foresters, The Natural Step, The Nature
Conservancy, Rainforest Alliance/SmartWood Program, Scientific Certification
Systems, Tropical Forest Foundation, Tropical Forest Trust, USDA Forest
Service, USDA Forest Service International Programs, World Resources
Institute, World Wildlife Fund and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental
Studies.
From where does most of The Home Depot's wood come?
About 95% of our wood comes from North America. The vast majority of this
comes from the United States, which has increased its forest lands coverage by
2% over the past decade*.
*Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
What is "certified wood"?
Certified wood has been managed and harvested under strict guidelines and
monitored by a third party to ensure sustainable harvesting practices are
followed. Some certified timber can be tracked through its entire journey from
stump to shelf.
Why does The Home Depot buy certified wood?
Buying certified wood allows us to take an active role in sustainable
forestry. By giving preference to certified wood, we are encouraging these
responsible practices in all our wood suppliers. Since giving preferential
treatment to certified wood, we have nearly doubled our sales of FSC certified
products every year as we continue to sell the most FSC certified products in
America.
See Certification
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