Although the price of furniture has gone down recently, which is mostly because of imports that are cheap, the environment is actually paying the price for this.  Many pieces of modern furniture today have substances included in them that are toxic to humans and to the environment today.

If you look around your office or home, you may find a lot of furniture that is made out of particle board.  Some may have some veneer made of wood, and you may really not have any idea about the wood that is being used in the furniture.  Most people end up thinking about price, not the environment, when they purchase their furniture.

The problem with furniture that is made out of particle board is that the resin in it that binds the chips of wood together actually has formaldehyde in it.  This is a toxin and a carcinogen.  Of course, you can’t be quite sure what wood is in the veneer and the chips of wood.  It could be from any type of wood out there today.

Many of the covers and cushions for today’s furniture is made out of materials that can be pretty nasty.  PVC is often used, which has formaldehyde in it as well.  Another option used is polyurethane, which has a variety of bad chemicals, including fluorocarbons, acetone, and methylene chloride.

Furniture that is made out of solid wood is not always the great option either.  Although in countries in the west the origin of raw wood is controlled to make sure that natural habitats are protected.  However, the furniture that is cheap that comes from other countries, like China, can be a big problem.

China is the top wood furniture exporter in the world, and they are the top in flooring and plywood.  The demand that they have for materials is actually leading to wood black market trade in a variety of other countries.  Many of the companies in China that make furniture do not do a great job at checking to make sure that the wood they get does not come from tropical or old growth forests.

You see, there are few resources for wood in China.  They have already used up their available options, and most of the resources they have left are protected.  So, this means that their materials come from other places.

Of course, it is easy to make China look like the bad guy.  However, what happens to drive this problem is the demand by the West for goods that are cheap.  Outsourcing in this case has ended up leading to environmental problems.

The good news is that you can purchase furniture that is earth friendly.  Here are a few great tips that can help you make the right choice that is good for you and the environment.

- Avoid going with furniture that uses plywood or particle board.

- Think about whether you need to purchase new furniture.  You may be able to restore the furniture that you have.

- Try finding furniture that has a label that notes that it is sustainable.

- Remember that this is an investment.  It can save you in the long term to spend a bit more now.

- Look for options that are made from raw materials that are sustainable.

- Check out options made out of recycled plastic wood if you want to save on price.

- Take a look at second hand stores or flea markets for furniture that is cheap.  With a little care, it can look great.