Comparing the Environmental Impact of Wooden Matches and Lighters

Question from Ms. Green

Which has a greater environmental impact, wooden matches or plastic and propane lighters? As part of a Buddhist group using many candles, I want to choose the best option.

—Honora in Lafayette, Colorado

Cardboard matches, often found at restaurants, may be the most sustainable option. Some claim to be made from recycled paper, though a major US manufacturer did not confirm this. For longer matches, use a cardboard match to light a piece of dry spaghetti, which can be reused until too short.

Diamond Greenlight matches are not recommended due to lack of third-party certification for sustainable sourcing. Their Forest Stewardship Council certificate expired in 2014, and the matchboxes’ striker pads failed prematurely. Their wooden matches, made in China, contain perchlorate, which can affect thyroid function, especially in vulnerable groups.

Lighters, whether single-use or refillable, contain fossil fuel-derived fluids and are not environmentally friendly. Instead, consider the Outdoor Element’s Fire Escape Multitool Carabiner, featuring a ferro rod with over 2,000 sparks, a seat-belt cutter, and a bottle opener.