Don’t forget the Rainforests
By fern | February 1, 2008
It seems as though the once-dear campaign for rainforest consciousness and conservation has quietly been labeled “not important” by people. Certainly the media. Here’s a great post about the need to keep this still-very-alarming phenomenon close to the lens: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-there-is-a-way-to-save-the-rainforests-776113.html
Topics: Forests, World News | No Comments »
Confirmed: Deforestation Plays Critical Climate Change Role
By fern | January 4, 2008
From earlier last year, an important study that confirms what our common sense already knows: New research confirms that avoiding deforestation can play a key role in reducing future greenhouse gas concentrations. Scientists report in the journal Science that tropical deforestation releases 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon each year into the atmosphere.Read more
Topics: Forests, World News | No Comments »
Fernwalla genesis
By fern | January 3, 2008
Fernwalla was started with one goal in mind: We want to ensure that our way of life will continue for us and our children. A big part of this is our commitment to the planet. We wanted to bring our sense of style into our lives without sacrificing this commitment. We want you to have the same opportunity as well.
We are proud to call Boulder, CO our home. Boulder is home to some of the most beautiful scenery you can find in the US. We enjoy it so much we want to make sure it’s there for a long time. We share this view with quite a few of our neighbors and, we hope, you as well.
Browse around the site and feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We appreciate comments, good experiences and suggestions of all kinds.
Topics: About | No Comments »
Sustainability
By fern | December 4, 2007
We assume that most people know what the concept of sustainability means, but I thought I’d share our definition of it as it pertains to furniture and home decorating.Webster’s defines sustainable: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.The materials our designers use is sustainable within the context of building a piece of furniture in several ways. The primary way is the actual material used. FSC-certified woods are sustainable in that the lumber is harvested from managed forests which, under the FSC guidelines, may produce lumber indefinitely as long as the forest survives. Bamboo is sustainable in that it is a fast-growing relative of grass that will naturally re-grow after harvest, sometimes within a year, allowing continual harvests indefinitely as well.To continue the sustainable concept through to the natural life-cycle of any product, one must take into account the disposal and/or re-use of the product after the initial owner has completed their use. To this end, we make sure that the finishes on each of our pieces are non-toxic and will reintegrate into their biological/mineral natures within time if disposed of properly.Considering the hand-built quality of our pieces, we plan for each to be handed down to multiple generations and/or friend-networks so that the full life-span of each piece can be used without premature retirement.
Topics: Fernwalla News, Material | No Comments »
Why gas costs so much
By fern | November 29, 2007
A good in-depth article of the mechanics of gasoline. from Groovy Green
Topics: World News | No Comments »
Green your holiday tree
By fern | November 27, 2007
Just ran across this on Great Green Goods. Thought that those of you who have a tree and not many ornaments yet, take a look at some good suggestions.Green holiday ornamnets
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
IPCC warn of abrupt warming
By fern | November 17, 2007
For anyone still not convinced that the global warming fears are valid. This is worth a read.
From the BBC
Topics: World News | No Comments »
Presenting: Natural Wax-Oil finish
By fern | November 17, 2007
We searched far and wide to find a finish that would be the most beautiful, brilliant and durable finish possible with natural ingredients. We believe we found it and our tests confirm that we were successful. We’re proud to offer you Hardwax Oil with our selected Artisan series pieces.
Hardwax Oil is an engineered finish made with plant oils and waxes, plus just enough highly refined mineral spirits to allow easy application. This remarkable finish offers excellent durability and renewability with a unique lustrous finish. It will never crack, blister or flake off. Instead of forming a plastic film, like polyurethane does, Hardwax Oil has open pores that “breathe.” This allows any moisture that does get through to get back out again without pushing off the finish.
When the finish wears-as all finishes eventually do, spot repair is so easy that you can keep the finish in good shape indefinitely.
Key ingredients in Hardwax Oil include sunflower, soybean and thistle oil, plus two hard, natural waxes—carnauba and candelilla. A Brazilian palm tree, Copernica cerifera, produces the carnauba in its leaves, berries and stalks. Villagers cut down fronds, dry them for several days, and then beat off the wax. The candelilla comes from the outer coating on a desert shrub, Euphorbia antisyphiliti, that grows in northern Mexico.
Topics: Material | No Comments »
New Milk Paint
By fern | November 17, 2007
Our Milk Paint finish comes in a variety of hues with subtle and soothing shades and textures. The finish is exceptionally long-lasting and stain-resistant. What’s more is that it’s VOC-free which means that you can feel good about it with children around as well.
Milk Paint is a traditional, long-lasting paint made from milk casein, clay, earth pigments and lime. It is a natural, non-toxic product that bonds with hard porous surfaces, such as sanded wood, by way of a naturally forming resin, called calcium caseinate.
With traces of it found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb, Milk Paint is the oldest form of paint known. Until as recent as the 1930’s, many craftsmen still painted furniture with it.
Topics: Material | No Comments »
Europly
By fern | November 17, 2007
Europly hardwood plywood is the same type of high-quality, virtually void-free plywood that is often sold as “Baltic birch,” except that it is made with wood certified through the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from well-managed forests. This is the most respected verification in the world that the lumber was harvested sustainably.
The core of these sheets consists of alternating layers of Northwest alder and imported birch (from Poland), with the birch layers most numerous. This makes the plywood stronger and somewhat heavier than competing products that have a purely alder core. It also creates high-contrast plies, which create a decorative edge on drawers and other cabinet components.
The outer veneer can be almost any clear (certified) hardwood. We primarily use Maple for its beauty, durability and ability to hold color and oils.
Topics: Material | No Comments »