So your thinking about getting some shelving put up or off to buy a side panel for your bath. Consider that timber is a precious commodity, it allows us to build structures, heat our houses, it houses many animal species, releases oxygen and soaks up carbon dioxide.

Whilst the UK might have a strategy for reducing the impact of deforestation, most of the timber used in the UK comes from foreign countries. Unfortunately not all these countries are so considerate about the environmental impact of deforestation, or the impact on humans living in these areas.

Therefore what can you do to stop the problems connected with using timber? The answer is to buy timber which has a good relevant standard for being sustainable. This means that when the trees are cut down they are done so to limit the impact to wildlife. It also means that trees are planted in order to make sure the global environmental impact is balanced.

The trees are coded from the time they cut down and a chain of custody is set-up to the point the timber is sold. This means that when you purchase some certified sustainable timber, it should be possible to trace it back to the place and time the tree was felled.

The main certified sustainable timber organisations are:

• FSC – Forest Stewardship Council

• PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification

• SFI – Sustainable Forestry Initiative