Wood Furniture Manufacture - Essay Example

WOOD FURNITURE MANUFACTURE College: Wood Furniture Manufacture Introduction The process of production of furniture has been practicedin the world for a long period. There are two primary materials that are commonly used in the manufacture of furniture: wood and steel. Although the two produce almost the same quality, wood is preferred by many furniture manufacturers. As a result, wooden furniture has been in a high demand in the world for a long period. Even though the demand for wood furniture is high, the process of manufacture of such involves activities and use of chemicals that have adverse impacts on the environment. More so, the demand is likely to increase because of the increasing world population, and the technological advancements that are likely to be experienced in the next few decades. Wood is more popular because it is readily available and easy to handle as compared to steel. Since the demand for wood furniture is increasing with time, the adverse effects of the product are also expected to increase. It is because of this that this paper will discuss the manufacture of wood furniture as one of the products that poses a serious environmental challenge. Aims of essay Based on the choice of the topic as outlined above, this paper discusses the environmental impacts of production of wood furniture. In the discussion of the effects on the environment, it describes the various activities and processes involved in the manufacture of furniture that can lead to the pollution of the environment. In addition, the various measures that can be put in place to mitigate the adverse impacts of manufacture of wood furniture on the environment are explained in the paper. Further, the different stakeholders involved and the role of technological innovations and environmental regulations in promoting sustainable practices are discussed in this essay. Outline The paper has different sections that explain the various aspects of the topic. After the introductory part, a literature review follows immediately. The study is supported by analysis of the different environmental impacts of the manufacture of wood furniture. That is then followed by the discussion of various ways that can be used to mitigate the environmental impacts mentioned in the previous section. Further, a discussion of the suggested ways of preventing the adverse effects of manufacture of wood furniture within the context of theoretical debates comes immediately before the summary of points made in the essay and the conclusion. That is the outline of the article. Literature Review Origin of sustainable development The sustainable development concept coined during the UNCED (United-Nations-Conference-on-Sustainable-Development) in the year 1992 in Rio-de-Janeiro. The summit was the foundation of the international attempts aimed at formulating strategies and action plans for advancing towards more sustainable development patterns than had been experienced before (Baker, 2010). Sustainable development was considered as the most significant solution to the various problems of environmental degradation as outlined in the report of 1987 by the Brundtland-Commission. The report was referred to as ‘Our Common-Future. The aim of the report was to evaluate the concerns that had been raised about the effects of human activities on the globe. Also, the report was concerned with the fact that if the impact of such activities on the environment were unchecked, they could lead to adverse effects (Blewitt, 2012). Sustainable development concept received the first principal international recognition at the United Nations Conference on Human Environment in the year 1972 held in the city of Stockholm (Baker, 2010). The convention found out that development and the environment could be managed in a mutually beneficial manner. Sustainable development was, however, popularized fifteen years later. That was done in a report of the World-Commission-on-Environment-and-Development. The report came up with a basic definition of sustainable development (Jalal, 2012). It defined sustainable development as development that is in a position to meet all the needs of the present generations without compromising or interfering with the capacity of the future groups of individuals to meet all their needs comfortably. World leaders recognised sustainable development after the Rio Summit as a common challenge as it is perceived currently. The most recent World-Summit on the sustainable development was in Johannesburg in the year 2002. The conference was meant to assess the progress of sustainable development in the world since the Rio summit (Jalal, 2012). Definition of Sustainable development Sustainable development refers to the economic growth or the development that does not lead to the depletion of natural resources in a country or region (Baker, 2010). According to the UN summit definition, sustainable development refers to development that is in a position to meet the current needs without interfering with the needs of the generations expected to live in the future and depend on the natural resources. The two definitions mean that sustainable development aims at ensuring that the economic processes of a nation or country do not contribute to the depletion of the natural resources (Baker, 2010). Therefore, it is a process of development which conserves the natural resources to ensure that they are available for future use. What is a sustainable business? There are several definitions or meanings of a sustainable business. One of the most accurate definitions is that a sustainable business is one which operates in a manner that is environmentally responsible. It means that the activities, products or by-products of the company should not have adverse impacts on the environment. Very few organizations or firms in the world are one-hundred percent sustainable (Baker, 2010). However, many leaders of organizations aim at attaining that percentage of sustainability. The relationship between economic growth, consumption and sustainability Economic growth in a country or nation is as a result of the use of natural resources that exist in the country (Baker, 2010). It is because the economic activities need raw materials that are obtained from the natural resources in the country. The rate and volume at which individuals consume have an effect on the availability of resources in the future. It is, therefore, important to note that consumption patterns affect the sustainable development of a country or region. Since the economic and social well-being of a society depends on the natural resources that exist in that area; and the consumption of the resources affect their availability for future use, economic activity impacts negatively on sustainable development. That is an indication that the economic activities a region undertakes should be monitored to ascertain their effects on the sustainability (Blewitt, 2012). From the above argument, it is clear that the consumption is as a result of the economic activities and leads to the utilization of natural resources. In addition to the use of natural resources and their depletion, consumption also generates waste materials. The wastes produced have many side-effects on the environment. For instance, they may contaminate water or soils. Many individuals would, therefore, argue that economic activity leads to an adverse effect on sustainability as a result of increased consumption of natural resources (Jalal, 2012). Although the consumption of natural resources may lead to several implications on the quality of the environment that the individuals live in, there are some positive effects of the economic growth on sustainability (Baker, 2010). Many researchers believe that economic activity is in a position to offer the various means to mitigate the environmental concerns. For example, the high level of income that results from the economic growth can allow for provisions to clean up the contamination which was caused by waste materials from the consumption during economic activities. That can lead to the reduction of waste materials in the environment. Also, a high level of income can enable various governments or agencies to fund research, as well as the development of different scientific solutions to the environmental problems. These may include; energy-sufficient homes and cleaner production (Jalal, 2012). It is, therefore, important to note that economic activities may lead to sustainable development if conducted in the right way. Different managers or leaders of organizations should, therefore, practice environmentally friendly activities to ensure they make their businesses sustainable. Role of efficiency in achieving sustainability Efficiency refers to the utilisation of resources or other materials more resourcefully. It could also mean obtaining the maximum value from resources owned by a firm or individual. It is crucial to sustainability in a variety of ways (Baker, 2010). One of the ways is that it reduces the quantity of resources used and the cost of manufacturing various products. As a result, it reduces the production of waste materials to the environment and ensures there is more compliance to different environmental legislations. In addition, it decreases the impacts of the firms on the environment (Jalal, 2012). Assessing environmental impacts There are different ways of assessing the environmental impacts of products and services. The most common method of assessing those impacts is the Life-Cycle-Assessment method. It is a mechanism for analysing the potential environmental effects and the possible aspects commonly associated with a service or product (Jalal, 2012). It does the analysis through different stages. The first step involves the compilation of the inventory of the relevant outputs and inputs. It is followed by the evaluation of the environmental impacts that are associated with the outputs and inputs. Finally, it entails the interpretation of the inventory results, as well as the impact phases in connection with the study objectives (Baker, 2010). Analysis of the environmental impacts The process of manufacture of wood furniture involves different activities that have adverse impacts on the environment. The adverse effects begin from the logging process or the initial stages of production of the materials used in making furniture. Cutting trees to produce timber t used in the manufacture of furniture leads to deforestation that destroys the natural habitat of many animals. Most of the animals cannot survive as a result of that. By destroying the habitat of those animals and making them die as a result of harsh environmental conditions, deforestation is environmentally unfriendly. In addition, deforestation resulting from cutting down of trees used in the manufacture of furniture impacts on climate change. Trees play a significant role in the water cycle. Through transpiration, water vapour goes back to the atmosphere after precipitation. Without the trees, the suns rays easily reach the soil, evaporating the moisture back to the atmosphere. That results in dry lands hence making transforming forest areas into a desert over time. Deforestation is, therefore, an environmental menace that should be avoided. It is brought about by logging or cutting down of trees. Logging is one of the activities involved in the furniture manufacture process even though it is done during the production of wood or timber to be used in the production of furniture. Once the trees have been cut, the wood obtained has to be treated to make it durable. There are different methods used in treating of timber. One of the methods involves boiling the wood in hot chemicals to make it last longer. The various chemicals used in the processing of wood are harmful to both the individuals participating in the treatment processes, as well as the environment. When the chemicals spill on soil, they may pollute it and underground water through leaching. By so doing they jeopardize the lives of many r living organisms. Apart from the chemicals involved in the process of wood treatment, there are some other chemicals used in the preservation of timber. These include; creosote, old engine oil, among others (Veisten, 2009). Most of them have the potential to pollute water and the soil, making them hazardous to the environment. In addition, some processes involved in the wood treatment process lead to emission of toxic gases. For instance, seasoning of timber leads to the production of unpleasant gases that may be unfit for other living organisms (Veisten, 2009). Also, wood processing generates Carbon IV Oxide, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Since the production process involves logging that decreases the forest cover, the number of trees that can reduce the greenhouse gases is reduced. Dust pollution from wood production is experienced especially in sawing sites and during the shaping of timber into different sizes and shapes for various uses. Sawdust, as well as wood chips, tends to cause environmental pollution (Veisten, 2010). One of the most dangerous impacts of the manufacture of wood furniture on the environment is concerned with the different paints used in the decoration of the furniture. Paints are used during and after the manufacture of furniture (Klassen & Whybark, 2009). The paints should be treated with a lot of care because of the danger that they pose to the users. It is quite surprising that most of the carpenters or the manufacturers of the wood furniture do not know the dangers associated with the inhalation of the paints that contain lead and arsenic. Individuals involved in the manufacture of the wood furniture, as well as the consumers of the products, are both likely to be affected by the negative impacts of the paints on the environment (Veisten, 2010). Paints have toxic chemicals, elements, and compounds depending on the type of paint used. When the paints are inhaled during the manufacture of the furniture or after the manufacture, the individuals who inhale such chemicals are likely to suffer from asthma or cancer because of the toxic elements in paints like lead, as well other toxic compounds. A lot of care should, therefore, be taken to avoid inhalation of the paints both in the company by manufacturers and at home by the consumers of the products. Though the production of wood may have adverse effects on the environment from the production to the manufacture of final products, there are some positive impacts of manufacture of wood furniture (Klassen & Whybark, 2009). One of them is that wood furniture has led to an energy sensitive product in the market. It means that wood furniture requires less energy to manufacture as compared to other materials, such as plastics and metallic furniture. It is easy to shape wood into different shapes and it is also readily available in the forests. It requires less effort to manufacture a wooden product. That can be demonstrated by the fact that wood furniture can be made at the local level without necessarily involving complex industrial processes to come up with a refined product as in the case of steel and plastics. Therefore, before cutting down trees, one must have a replacement plan whereby one cut is replaced by the planting of another or others. By so doing, it will be easy to protect the forests and minimize the effects of deforestation. In all its production stages, wood furniture is energy sensitive because it requires less energy compared to plastics or metal materials production (Veisten, 2010). On the other hand, the processing stages produce lots of pollutants that are hazardous to the ecosystem. Water pollution from the used solvents and furnishing materials, maintenance and cleanup activities are all ecosystem hazards. Solid wastes are other pollutants emitted in the process, and these are in the form of resin particles, wood chips and general wastes. In short, wood furniture production causes all forms of pollutions. All these pollutants impact negatively on the environment. For instance, if wastewater is released into nearby rivers before treatment, it can cause serious implications to animals in the river, people using that water, and also can result in drying up of trees along the river banks. Therefore, all the waste products should be treated before being released into the ecosystem and those that are re-usable should be recycled to save production energy (Parikka-Alhola, 2008). The best thing about wood furniture is that there are few environmental impacts associated with using its products. Over the years, people are opting to use wood furniture compared to steel and plastic furniture due its affordability. Similarly, wood furniture has a long life-cycle and does not wear out easily. Less energy is needed in using wood furniture as much of the energy was used during production stages. For example, a wooden table will only require flowers to make it look more attractive, unlike steel table that will require flowers and some lighting for it to be look attractive. Disposing of wooden furniture has no hazardous impacts on the environment (Klostermann & Tukker, 2008). For instance, when it gets old, one only needs to refinish, which greatly prevents landfill waste. Refinishing has three methods that include reusing, recycling as well as reducing, all of which are cost effective. Even if the wooden furniture were to be left to the environment, it would decompose unlike plastic, glass or metal furniture that does not decompose. Wood furniture manufacture is more environmentally friendly as compared to the other furniture produced with other materials. It is also pocket-friendly and can be manufactured anywhere in the world (Veisten, 2010). The only caution needed is to check the pollution caused during the production stages. Life-Cycle-Assessment is one of the impact assessment techniques that have been used on the wood products. According to the assessment made using the technique, it has been found that the wood products have more impacts on the environment during the manufacturing stage. Production stages of wood furniture manufacture like logging and deforestation are considered less significant (Veisten, 2010). Also, LCA has found out that wood has fewer negative impacts on the environment as compared to the alternative materials that can serve the same purpose as wood in the manufacture of similar products. That means wood furniture is environmentally friendly and should be used in most cases. Actors in the alleviation of environmental impacts The government is the best actor when it comes to the alleviation of environmental impacts (United States, 2014). It is because the government is a body with various branches or segments that can impose legislation on environmental conservation measures to be followed by companies, businesses, NGOs, and other organizations. Measures to reduce the impacts There are various measures that should be put in place to reduce the environmental effects of wood furniture manufacture (United States, 2014). One of the measures is that all the waste materials from the wood treatment and processing plants should be treated before they are released into the environment. That is a way of reducing the pollution effect of the materials. Also, the various governments of different countries should come up with policies governing the replacement of trees during logging (United States, 2014). Before cutting a tree, the logger should be in a position to plant a certain number of trees to replace the one he is about to cut down. The use of chemicals in the process of wood treatment or preservation should also be avoided where necessary to reduce the harmful effects of the chemicals on the environment. For instance, the seasoning of timber should be preferred to other ways of treatment. That prevents excessive use of chemicals that lead to the pollution of the environment (Jalal, 2012). In addition, all the individuals involved in the production of wood furniture should wear protective clothing to protect their bodies against coming into contact or inhaling the chemicals. After the production of the furniture, the paint should be given enough time to dry before the products are supplied to the consumers (Jalal, 2012). More environmentally friendly paints with a lower lead content should be used instead of the others with more toxic elements and compounds. Some of the measures above have already been practiced by different agencies and companies. For instance, the policy on the proper treatment of wastes before disposal has always been enacted by various companies as well as businesses (Jalal, 2012). Also, many manufacturing firms have personal protective equipment that is used so secure their employees from the harmful effects of the chemicals and other harmful materials within the companies or firms. Technological innovation Technological innovation could make wood furniture manufacture more sustainable. It through the development of new machines that are used in logging, as well as the shaping and sizing of wood, that the manufacturing process can become less harmful to the environment and more energy efficient. The use of wood furniture is expected to increase with time. It is because of the various attributes of wood as a source of timber and material for the manufacture of furniture. Since it is cheaper and easy to handle, the demand is expected to rise with time. The efficiency of the wood furniture is also expected to increase. It is as a result of the advancement in various technologies used in the manufacture that are sustainable. The rebound effect in the utilization of wood furniture should not be expected soon because the population of the world continues increasing. Demand for timber or wood furniture is expected to continue rising as a result (Veisten, 2010). When it comes to the regulatory measures on the use of wood in the production of furniture, there is sufficient evidence that such measures are helpful. That can be confirmed by many governments putting into place laws that prevent illegal logging that can lead to the deforestation. If logging can be controlled, it is possible to control the impacts of the utilization of wooden products on the environment. Although there are different ways of mitigating environmental pollution resulting from the manufacture of wood furniture, it is in order that the use of trees is reduced in the manufacture of furniture (Klassen & Whybark, 2009). One of the alternative means of timber is the bamboo commonly found along the coastal regions of the world. More so, bamboo takes a less time to mature and can also be used for cleaning up contaminated soil through phytoremediation. It prevents the cutting down of trees in the natural forests therefore, encouraging sustainability. To achieve the desired goals in sustainability, the negative effects of wood furniture manufacture should be reduced or completely omitted, and the resource efficiency increased. By so doing, more sustainability goals will be achieved. Conclusion The manufacture of wood furniture has various impacts on the environment. One of them is that it leads to deforestation. Secondly, it leads to the pollution of the soil and water as a result of the chemicals used in the treatment of wood or timber. Various wood preservatives like creosote also cause environmental pollution. Further, wood furniture manufacturing processes emit toxic gases, as well as the greenhouse gas that contribute to global warming. The paints used in the manufacture of wooden furniture, as well as the waste products could also pollute the environment (Klassen & Whybark, 2009). Apart from the negative effects, wood furniture is energy sensitive. It is cheaper and easy to manufacture than other alternative forms of furniture. Also, it requires fewer materials to decorate to make it visually appealing. Some of the ways that could be used to alleviate the negative impacts of wood furniture manufacture include proper treatment of wastes from wood furniture manufacturing plants and planting of more trees to replace the ones cut down for the production of timber. The individuals working in manufacturing firms need to have protective clothing to protect them from the harmful effects of the chemicals. Also, fewer harmful chemicals and paints should be used in the process of manufacture of wood furniture. List of References Baker, S. 2010. Sustainable development. New York: Psychology Press. Blewitt, J. 2012. Understanding sustainable development. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. Jalal, M. 2012. An introduction to sustainable development. London, United Kingdom: Earthscan. Klassen, R. D., & Whybark, D. C. 2009. The impact of environmental technologies on manufacturing performance. Academy of Management Journal, 42(6), pp.599-615. Klostermann, J. E. M., & Tukker, A. 2008. Product Innovation and Eco-efficiency Twenty-three Industry Efforts to reach the Factor 4. Dordrecht, Springer Netherlands. [online] 4 (CD008495) Available at: [Accessed 26 march 2015]. Parikka-Alhola, K. 2008. Promoting environmentally sound furniture by green public procurement. Ecological Economics, 68(1), pp. 472-485. United States.2014. Industry, technology, and the environment: competitive challenges and business opportunities: report. [Washington, D.C.], U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Veisten, K. 2010. Willingness to pay for eco-labeled wood furniture: Choice-based conjoint analysis versus open-ended contingent valuation. Journal of forest economics, 13(1), pp.29-48. Read More