SUSAN INGLIS: Sustainable Furnishings, What’s It Made Of?
It’s Susan Inglis from the Sustainable Furnishings Council!
You will hear at the beginning of this episode how excited I was to be interviewing Susan Inglis, Executive Director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council. I tried to keep it cool but I am such an admirer of Susan’s work. When Susan confirmed the interview, my heart was doing little flips of excitement. I felt the same way when I was preparing this episode to release. I am so aligned and passionate about sustainable living and design and it was a blessing for me to talk to an expert like Susan and share it will all of you. She is so kind and you can tell just by listening to her voice she is a true delight! When you hear Sustainable Furnishings Council as a consumer you may wonder; how does this help me? During the interview Susan shares some questions we should all be asking when we are considering purchasing furnishings for our homes. This doesn’t stop at home though, this information applies to wellness, healthcare, and even your office environment. One of the bits of information Susan shares that is eye-opening is that furniture manufacturing is the number three way we consume wood. The first and second top way wood is consumed is through construction and paper. Proof that questioning and confirming resources should be a high priority. We absolutely want to make sure what we are purchasing isn’t contributing to deforestation. We can also ask questions like; is this made from a slow growing tree or a more rapidly growing resource like bamboo? You will definitely want to listen to the full episode. Near the end, Susan continues to impress us her other business, From The Mountain. From The Mountain works with women in Afghanistan to empower them through entrepreneurship and the fair trade of their handspun cashmere. I’m afraid me saying this is my favorite episode would be like saying I have a favorite child, but… 🙂<iframe frameborder='0' height='200px' scrolling='no' seamless src='https://embed.simplecast.com/b38fed15?color=3d3d3d' width='100%'></iframe>
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In this episode:
- What the Sustainable Furnishings Council is and the mission of the company
- Finding and purchasing eco-friendly furnishings and the questions we should be asking
- Lifecycle awareness of products – birth to death or better yet, birth to rebirth
- Benchmarks manufacturers must meet in order to be considered sustainable
- Mythbusting – why being green is not more costly
- Eco-labels and third-party certifications – how they help us
- From the Mountain – a global mission helping women makers become entrepreneurs
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[bctt tweet="Each company is a different shade of green and we believe that is fine, we think the planet is in enough trouble that we all need to grab an ore and move forward. – Susan Inglis"]<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->[bctt tweet="What does it really cost the future to NOT invest in recycling? What does it cost for that material to become toxic waste in your county? Is that going to give your grandchildren cancer? – Susan Inglis"]<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->[bctt tweet="Consumers can make a difference by asking what’s it made of. It helps manufacturers give better answers. – Susan Inglis"]<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->[bctt tweet="80 odd percent of the environmental impact of any consumer product, including furnishings, is in the materials chosen – Susan Inglis"]<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->[bctt tweet="Garbage, what humans throw away, is our world’s most abundant natural resource now… there are companies using it to make something else when that’s possible. – Susan Inglis"]
This episode is supported in part by ManifestPhoto:
Peter C. Blanchard is a nature and landscape photographer with a commitment to using his art to bring relief to those who are suffering. Peter specialized in providing art that aligns with Evidence-Based Art research for healthcare environments. This research demonstrates that viewing imagery with specific elements can have powerful benefits such as reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, relieving physical pain, and even shortening hospital stays. In addition to the many benefits, there can also be economic benefits related to improved employee satisfaction and higher ratings from clients. By aligning his work with Evidence-Based Art research, Peter seeks to take his photography beyond simple beauty, turning in into a powerful force for positive change in the world. Visit www.manifestphoto.com to see Peter’s work and learn more Enter the code RHEAMADER10 at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase.