Bamboo furniture gets an upgrade

No, this isn't the cheap bamboo furniture you remember from your dorm room. This is the good stuff.
Teragren and Vaughan Benz formed a partnership to create bamboo furniture for commercial applications in the hospitality industry.
Vaughan Benz will now offer bamboo cabinetry, tables and seating made with FSC-certified Teragren bamboo panels and veneer to hotels, restaurants and healthcare facilities worldwide. The partnership was announced at Greenbuild 2010, a conference and expo dedicated to "green" building.
“Our customers are increasingly asking us to find manufacturing solutions that are environmentally sustainable, including low-VOC and FSC-certified products. We are proud to partner with Teragren, as their leadership in providing environmentally friendly bamboo products for the woodworking industry is exemplary,” said David Benz, president of Vaughan Benz.

Congress recognizes U.S. hardwoods as sustainable and preferable

The Hardwood Council has announced that Congress has given its stamp of approval to the U.S. hardwood industry and U.S. hardwood products with the passage of Senate Resolution 411 and House resolution 81. The resolutions recognize hardwood trees grown in the U.S. as an abundant, sustainable and legal resource. Dept. of Agriculture data show that U.S. hardwood inventory has more than doubled over the past 50 years. Also, U.S. hardwood growth exceeds hardwood removals by a margin of 1.9 to 1. Net annual growth has exceeded removals continuously since 1952.