When you sign up to pay bills online, you're not only saving trees and reducing the...

Pine, spruce, cedar, and other conifer trees fall into this category of wood. Softwood trees are the traditional source of construction lumber and are generally fast-growing; hardwoods, on the other hand, are deciduous trees that grow more slowly and are more often used for high-end furniture and flooring. Although the name would lead you to believe otherwise, softwoods are not necessarily softer than hardwoods; this is sometimes true, but there are softwood trees that are stronger and harder than some hardwoods. The categories have more to do with how the tree grows than its relative hardness.

The two most important things to consider when shopping for "green" furniture are: What is the...