Monday 9 September 2019

Could the real enemy of climate change turn out to be furniture?

Could the real enemy of climate change turn out to be furniture?

Could the real enemy of climate change turn out to be furniture?

It's unlikely that your Chaise Longue is the sole reason the icecaps are melting but a new study suggests home furnishings do have a surprising impact on the environment.

Conducted by My Tool Shed, the report suggests the average piece of furniture generates around approximately 47 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalents, which is roughly the same amount of greenhouse gases produced by burning around 5.3 gallons of petrol.

Sofas take the top spot in terms of carbon footprint, generating around 90 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalents, with foams and fillings making up more than 40% of this.

The textile makes up more than 20% of related emissions, while another 15% comes from timber and wood.

In terms of environmental impact, sofas are followed by sofa beds at 88 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalents, desk chairs at 72 kilogrammes, wooden filing cabinets at 48 kilogrammes and arm chairs at 43 kilogrammes.

Earlier this year, IKEA announced it was to start leasing furniture as part of a more sustainable business model.

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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