We are not going to be able to operate our Spaceship Earth successfully nor for much longer unless we see it as a whole spaceship and our fate as common. It has to be everybody or nobody.

-R. Buckminster Fuller

Luna Supports FSC Certified Wood

Sustainability is, in its general sense, the ablity to sustain a certain process or state at a certain rate or level, hence the term: "sustain - ability". The concept of sustainability applies to all aspects of life on earth.

In an ecological context, sustainability is defined as the ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes, functions, biodiversity and productivity into the future.

So what does sustainability have to do with musical instruments? The problem lies with the method used to harvest trees. Currently, the most popular trend for harvesting wood is to clear-cut an entire forest. Clear-cutting is economical for lumber companies and consumers, but environmentally it's a disaster. Due to pressure from environmental groups a new trend in forest management is emerging. That new method is selective harvesting. With selective harvesting, a few choice trees are taken from a forest and others are left so that the forest as a whole remains. Companies that employ these methods can be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as "smart wood" lumber companies. The next time you go to the lumber store, see if any of the lumber has the FSC stamp on it. If it has the label, it's "smart wood."

Another way that wood can be considered "sustainable" is by the use of tree farming...that is, planting and rotating fast growing trees in areas that have already been deforested. This has the advantage of supplying a steady, renewable source of wood that does not need to go beyond it's own footprint when properly managed as it never runs out.

Currently, Luna's "Gypsy" electric Series is made of FSC certified Paulownia, and beginning in 09, our "Neo" series will also carry FSC's seal of approval, as will our "Steel Magnolia" resonator. We are also happy to announce that Luna's new USA shop is in the process of becoming FSC certified and will be producing FSC certified electrics in 09.

Currently, there are relatively few logging or manufacturing facilities globally that have heard of FSC or are willing to go to the expense to be certified. But, with pressure from instrument companies and consumers to change, hopefully it will only be a matter of time when "smart wood" is the rule and not the exception.

See fsc.org for more information on the Forest Stewardship Council