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Eco-Friendly Furniture
from HouseTrends Magazine by Cesca Janece Waterfield September, 2006 Those who think Southern hospitality is limited to breezy verandas sheltered by robust limbs of magnolia trees, prepare to be enlightened. The Regional South has always been agrarian, and even as its cities in places dazzle with contemporary sophistication, many who live down south try to extend a gracious hand toward the environment. A growing number of manufacturers and retailers here prove that environmental responsibility can accompany modern élan and efficiency. Andy Thornton is co-owner of La Difference, known as one of region’s finest retailers of modern, contemporary, and environmentally responsible furniture in Richmond, Virginia. According to Thornton, eco-friendly furniture is a relatively new concept to the United States. Keeping the environment in mind through the process of foresting the wood and manufacturing and marketing the product is a challenge. He admits, “In such a land of abundance, we’re often not cognizant of where things come from.” But Thornton is optimistic, saying, “Europe still leads the way, but Americans are becoming more aware.” Where once Thornton says he observed a “ponderous silence” among most Americans about the cost to the earth for the comforts of home, he admits, “In the last couple of years, I’ve seen a real growth in the eco-friendly market, in terms of what is available and the public’s response.” Although the market continues to expand, offering more eco-friendly products each season, one way to respect the environment even if challenged by product availability, is to seek “enlightened products,” which may not be comprised exclusively with environmentally conscious materials, but nevertheless surpass most products on the market. Einar Elsner is Executive Vice President of South Cone, a Los Angeles based furniture manufacturer with offices in Austin, Texas, and factories in Peru and Argentina. Today, South Cone is recognized as a world leader among furniture makers in the push for environmental awareness. “There have been some fascinating developments recently.” “Manufacturers are starting to understand that it is imperative for individual companies to pursue environmental responsibility, and it is imperative in general for planet earth.” Septeber will bring to High Point, North Carolina, a workshop sponsored by South Cone and the Rainforest Alliance promote environmentally sound foresting and manufacturing processes. Elsner says, “ If we don’t promote responsible harvesting of our wood, we’re going to run out of resources. The consequences of not doing it are dire.” Thankfully, he observes, “The momentum continues to build. People are really getting it.” Virginia writer Caroline Kettlewell and her husband Joe are two who do. When they made the decision to find an alternative to heating with natural gas, they applied a few deeply held values. Soon to celebrate their thirteenth anniversary, the couple shares a commitment to environmental responsibility. But in a living room brightened by classical music and lined with art and books, including Caroline’s novel and memoir, they hoped not to sacrifice beauty. To these parents of a nine year-old boy, ease of maintenance and durability were also paramount. The Kettlewells discovered a balance of requirements in a CornGlo stove at Cobb Fuel, a Richmond retailer of furnaces and stoves that burn shelled corn. They’d researched various alternatives and found corn suitable in several ways. Caroline admits, “We had wanted one of these stoves for awhile.” But when the cost of gas ballooned again, she says, “It was a sign,” and they made the purchase. It’s one they don’t regret. CornGlo stoves utilize feed grade corn and are environmentally favorable for many reasons. Air quality is always a concern, especially in cities. But Caroline notes, “Corn is very clean burning.” Research supports her, showing that corn produces significantly fewer emissions than wood. When your family is curled warmly away from wintry frost, the air inside should be as pure as the proverbial snow. Another advantage: Since corn is renewable, its availability is assured. You can’t say that about fossil fuels. But corn burning stoves are often as friendly to your wallet as they are to your lungs. To heat a home of 2250 square feet requires about one bushel of corn a day, which can be purchased in bulk at grain stores, or delivered to your door for storage, as the Kettlewells enjoy. At less than two dollars a bushel, economical advantages of burning corn are as bright as the fire. Local farmers will think so, too. Its clever vent design means you won’t require a pricy chimney system, so chance of chimney fires is non-existent. In fact, Caroline explains, “The process is pretty simple.” She starts with a small pellet made of paraffin and pulp wood, designed to quickly ignite the kernels cleanly and safely. After that, Caroline says, “It will go for hours and hours.” She tosses used pellets in her compost and does another good turn for the earth. But the Kettlewells prove that when you go green, you don’t have to forfeit style. This is “eco-elegance.” Flanking their stove is a cleanly designed bookshelf and lateral file in cherry and maple woods. Both were manufactured by Copeland, a Vermont company who specializes in furniture made of hardwoods harvested from forests that meet high environmental and social standards. Copeland’s commitment to craftsmanship and integrity is evident in the three-floored showroom of Thornton’s La Difference, located in the Richmond River District that bustles beside the James River and where the Kettlewells found these two pieces. The blush of smartly harvested woods complements the brass detailing of the stove. But the Kettlewell’s CornGlo stove warms more than this three bedroom house overlooking the south shore of the river. As kernels crackle in the firebox, Caroline says with a smile, “The whole family comes in here. We play games… It’s an inviting space.” She also enjoys gathering corn for the day’s use as part of her morning routine. A silo stores the corn, and stands unobtrusively behind a low picket fence in the Kettlewell’s backyard. Constructed of a reclaimed oil reservoir, it lends a rustic Southern charm to its space. Another unforeseen pleasure of filling a pail with kernels: “Spills invite birds,” Caroline says. A spray of sparrows lifts from the branch of a tree and arrows toward the river. Thanks to Richmond homeowners like the Kettlewells, who marry elegance to environmental responsibility each day, the air through which they ascend is a bit cleaner. Back
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