Comments on: Save the rainforest – buy a sustainable chess set

By: Bill Mankin

Bill Mankin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:53:06 +0000

This is an exceptionally well-written examination of a very important issue. Every wood or paper product that originates from a living source should be taken from a forest managed to the highest possible environmental and social standards. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) provides the most reliable and trustworthy system for ensuring that. Since its founding in the early 1990s, the FSC has transformed the entire international forest policy debate and forced even the most stubborn timber companies to take notice. Rather than debate how much or how little the world of chess can contribute to making the world more sustainable, it seems more reasonable to simply decide that chess players should be on the winning side. Incidentally, there is no agreement in the forest policy world on the definition of “sustainable” forest management, which is why the FSC intentionally avoids using that term in its standards, policies and claims. While it may be a convenient catch-all term in popular discussion, it is still used by many timber companies and wood sellers, not to mention FSC’s rivals, to green-wash their products and mislead consumers into thinking they are being environmentally responsible. So just look, and ask for, the FSC label. Checkmate.

By: Rob Brown

Rob Brown — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:38:01 +0000

Thanks so much, Arne. I am quite knowledgeable about sustainable fisheries, but the citations you give are very useful.

Much appreciated.

By: test

test — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:43:12 +0000

Plastic stays around forever.

By: test

test — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:41:58 +0000

Yeah. At least wood recycles. Plastic ca.

By: Wim Nijenhuis

Wim Nijenhuis — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:52:17 +0000

Plastic pieces to become mandatory??
I feel so old, i feel so sad.
Sustainable wood ok.
There is feel, the loving touch, the idea of wood, of growth, of life.
But plastic?
Lets make them of clay!! Like 3000 years ago!
That’s sustainable life!!
W.N.

By: Arne Moll

Arne Moll — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:20:31 +0000

@Rob Brown: If you're interested in the effectiveness of the MSC and other eco-labels, I'd highly recommend Jennifer Jacquet's excellent recent article in Oryx 'Conserving wild fish in a sea of market-based efforts', which deals with the issues of bluewashing in great detail. You can download it in pdf here.

By: Felix Kling

Felix Kling — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:28:35 +0000

It’s rather ridiculous to take that article serious

The amount of wood used for chessboards and pieces is soooo low Anyone who considers to do something really useful should care about buying furniture and so on. it’s like those guys who try to safe power by using less light and buying energy saving lamps, but have those ultra large fridges running the whole day

Btw., I’m happy FIDE doesn’t allow those ugly animal piece sets above

By: Bartleby

Bartleby — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:31:53 +0000

Interesting article, I think the general line of thinking is quite right. It probably would be easy enough for vendors to provide the choice of sustainable wood for pieces, boards, boxes, maybe even clocks.
Is there any reason why tropical woods are preferred right now? Are they better suited for heavy use?
I don’t think plastic does make sense environmentally. It adds up on both ends, its production is based on unsustainable oil, and there’s no good option how to dispose it.

By: noyb

noyb — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:25:57 +0000

Well Rob brings up some good points also. Wow. Out of what material do we make sets? I’m tempted to say let’s all play via PCs, but I used to work in Semiconductors and we don’t even want to go into the labyrinth of toxic nastiness required to manufacture memory, processors, PCB’s etc.

Guess we’ll all have to learn to play blindfold! That ought to be good; “No, I said I put the piece on the this square 10 moves ago, not that square!” I wouldn’t want to have to TD that tournament! lol

By: Rob Brown

Rob Brown — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:12:13 +0000

Maybe the solution to the what-set-to-use quandary is to use a set like the one pictured in my avatar. It’s carved of environmentally friendly mammoth tusk. It’s a little pricey of course, and the supply is limited.