Love music? Save the tonewoods, choose FSC-certified wood

Unfortunately, the future of electric guitars, and a number of other instruments, may be in jeopardy, considering that many of the forest species that give them their unique sound are in jeopardy. According to the conservation group Fauna & Flora International, over 200 species of trees are used to make musical instruments, and of those, 70 are threatened with extinction, such as Honduras cedar, Honduras rosewood and mahogany—all used in guitars.

Major guitar manufacturers like Gibson, C.F. Martin & Co., Fender, and Taylor Guitars have joined forces with Greenpeace to launch the Music Wood Campaign, an effort to find and increase the supply of tone woods certified as responsibly harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council. Gibson and Martin already make guitars from certified woods.

What can you do to help? Start saving your pennies. Groups like Greenpeace and Fauna & Flora concede that musical instruments alone aren’t depleting precious stocks of endangered woods. Most of the wood goes for construction materials and furniture. If you’re planning major renovations or redecoration projects, start a savings account so you can purchase furniture made with Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.