On a cellular level, yes. Under a microscope, a tree cell from a regular forest looks just like a tree cell from a certified forest. A baseball bat made from regular wood looks and swings just like a baseball bat made from certified wood. A hardwood floor made from regular wood looks and wears just like a hardwood floor made from certified wood.

So what's the big deal about certified wood?

Certified wood means that the baseball bat you hold in your hand came from a tree that was nurtured in an environment that was cared for with the long-term forest health in mind. Certified wood means that the hardwood floor you proudly display in your home provided jobs for people while respecting the habitats of thousands of other creatures.

To be certified means to balance ecological, economic, and social concepts that until just a few years ago would have been thought of as totally divergent philosophies. It's not an easy task.

If you could buy either of two wood tables, which would you choose? The table made of regular wood, or the table made of certified wood? Purchasing the certified wood table is a way for individuals to vote for caring about the environment while doing their part to keep the economy strong.

It's your planet. How will you help it today?