Mango wood comes from the same tree as the much-loved mango fruit. It is hard yet flexible and very beautiful. Because mango plantations tend to harvest the tree for lumber only when the fruiting finishes or slows down significantly, mango timber is considered a more sustainable option than other counterparts from tropical regions. Still, we had to ask: How sustainable is mango wood?

Teak is the perfect wood for many household projects because it is strong, water-resistant, and rot-resistant. A teak garden table would last for decades and age gracefully while requiring very little care. However, high demand for this valuable hardwood drives illegal logging in old-growth tropical forests, causing great biodiversity loss. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of teak wood?

Ipe is a tropical wood that looks great and weathers well. It is the wood of choice for many outdoor projects like garden decking or fences. However, the trees are over-logged, and often illegally, in many parts of the world. And as the tropical rainforests, which are home to ipe species, support some of the richest ecosystems in the world, we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of ipe wood?

Pine trees make up a large part of the evergreen conifer forests. In fact, one in four American cone-bearing trees is a pine. Though pine trees are available in many parts of the US, logging for pine timber could mean the loss of valuable wildlife habitat. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of pine wood?

Ash trees can take hold of almost everywhere as they agree with a great variety of soil and situation – greater than any other tree producing timber of equal value. Once widespread across the Eastern United States, the population of ash trees has declined significantly due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of ash wood?

Padauk is native to tropical forests, some of which host the most diverse wildlife in the world. And as these forests and their biodiversity play a vital ecological role, the loss of wildlife habitat due to logging raises questions about its sustainability. So we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of padauk wood?

The maple family, a genus called Acer, is much more than their striking colors. The trees provide food and shelter for many birds and mammals, while maple timber is an excellent choice for furniture, music, and more. So we had to ask: How sustainable it is to buy products made out of maple?

Douglas fir – one of the tallest trees in the North American continent – is as impressive as it can be. The trees provide food and shelter to a wide range of mammals and beautiful wood for human activities, from constructing houses to making furniture. And even though Douglas fir trees are readily available in the US, we had to ask: How sustainable it is to buy products made out of Douglas fir?

Black walnut (or American walnut) has a fine figure and quality. Its dark colour makes it a prized alternative for many tropical timbers. As walnut trees become rarer in the wild, where it provides food for many birds and mammals, we had to ask: How sustainable is it to buy products made out of black walnut?

Mahogany – the exotic beauty of the tropical – has been the wood of choice for high-end furniture for centuries. It is native to tropical dry and wet forests, some of which host the most diverse wildlife in the world. As these forests and their biodiversity play a vital ecological role, we had to ask: How sustainable is it to cut down mahogany for our products?

Some white oak species can live longer than six centuries, providing wildlife with plenty of food and living spaces. Their abundance, deep roots, and broad canopies also help with watershed health and climate mitigation. As white oak trees play such an important ecological role, we had to ask: How sustainable is it to cut down white oaks for our products?

Do you know that bamboo is stronger than steel yet super flexible? Its properties make bamboo an ideal material for durable products like furniture, flooring, and other household projects (not to mention earthquake-proof shelters). And when it comes to sustainability, bamboo is on the top of the list. So we had to ask: How sustainable is bamboo wood?

Nothing beats a long, hot shower at the end of a long day. But did you know that the water and energy used during a long shower can have devastating effects on the environment? So we had to ask: Why is taking long showers bad for the environment?

Sustainability is one of the most important topics for our environment – but it goes even beyond that. The idea has been around a while, but it has gained global attention in the late 20th and the 21st centuries as we have begun to pay closer attention to the impact that we have on our surrounding environment. So we had to ask: What’s the difference between sustainable and unsustainable?

Every great invention has its flaws. Whether you’re drying your hands or cleaning up a spill, paper towels can always do the job. Paper towels are great for a quick fix, but they may not benefit the environment in the long haul. So we had to ask: Are paper towels sustainable?