"Sustainability" refers to a production process that uses renewable resources in a manner that be continued indefinitely.

"Bio-based" is generally understood to mean commercial or industrial products in which more than 50% of the ingredients (other than water) are biological or renewable agricultural (plant, animal or marine) or forestry materials. The USDA's "Bio-preferred" web site is a comprehensive source of information on bio-based materials and products.

"FSC-Certified" refers to products produced under the standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests. FSC sets standards for building materials and paper.

For information on sustainable energy resources please see our alternative energy page.

The development of new standards for sustainable products and processes is being tracked at www.bioenergywiki.net.