Finally I have a bit of time to dedicate to my squared blog (this post is written today afternoon and finished tonight)... sometimes I stay a little bit longer in my office, at this time of the day, after the right time to go home... just to take a look on environmental and design blogs, answer to the friend's messages and why not, just relaxing with a non-stress surfing on the web... and today, I will spent it to discuss a little bit about an article that I read on the big "environmentalist" website Treehugger. (Tomorrow, I will do a big relaxing walk, I promise! better "sustainable" for my body and mind! eheh).
The "accused" entry is this one: 10 Great, Green Design Products From Ikea
For the slideshow, take a look here.
I was very disappointed when I saw it. Why? Because they are showing very bad examples about how to recognize the sustainability of a forniture company! For example:
- A natural material is not necessary a sustainable solution, we should look also where the wood comes from, how is worked, etc..
- Selling plants doesn't matter that a company has concerns for the environment. AT ALL! Selling stereotipate plants cultivated in a massive way, and that the company stocks in closed places for days while waiting for consumers doesn't seems that much ambientalist.
- Sunnan Solar Desk Lamp? Ask to who bought it about this total fail :)
- I'm not going to say anithing about the textiles that the website itself calls firstable sustainable while describing their big production impacts on the environment...
- Handmade products produced by a multinational company not seem to be so sustainable as well! The only sust handicraft is the one that you do yourself :)
I will talk more in the future about all those issues.
The only product that you can find there and that I appreciate is the Norden Birch Table.
I liked also the description, here they got the point: beautiful, useful, practical, sustainable.
Ikea shows off the Norden birch series -- including this gateleg table -- as an example of forward-thinking design, claiming that the initial production of these tables marked "probably the first time anyone had thought of making furniture from the knotty top part of the birch tree instead of burning it as firewood or grinding it for chipboard production." With six drawers and two drop-leaf sides, this is also the kind of table that will stay with you from college drinking games to arts and crafts with the kids; the versatility of this piece means its less likely to end up in the trash next time you move. ($179)
The debate about the environmental and social sustainability of Ikea is HUGE (the economical sustainability, at least for young consumers, is real: nowadays Ikea's forniture have a good quality and usually the right price), but I think everybody should inform themselves better than looking at that pretty ridicoulous slideshow, and then have an own opinion, and do choices while buying stuffs, instead of just buy blindly.In the future I will explain better the concept of Greenwashing (sustainable appereance of products, with no real contents), and analyze how a big company that sells stuffs with low prices could be dangerous to the environment while conquering the love and wallets of european consumers.
My aim with this post is not judging Ikea's work but show how a website that should diffuse the information about sustainability can do mistakes. And this slideshow seems to me more a padding, not to say a mere advertise. It is not showing us why really choose an Ikea product that is good for the environment, or why not.
By now, you can take a look on this Inhabitat in-depth analysis, keeping in mind that IKEA may be mindful of the environment, but it is not sustainable. And take a look about the sustainable steps that Ikea is claiming.
Hereinafter I will try to say my opinion about why choosing Ikea and why not :)
