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

"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.

"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" website is a comprehensive source of information on bio-based materials and products.

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

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