Wood is very often touted as a highly recyclable resource that is vastly superior for its ability to be simply regrown and eventually decompose when done. Depending upon the type used, it is relatively strong and sturdy for its weight. The energetics of wood in a marketplace that is temporally biased towards the short term are very favorable as compared with most metals.
However, wood exists not juts on spreadsheets, but also as a major component in a larger and more complex ecosystem. For instance, it is impossible to consider the energetics of wood without considering the impact that removing trees has on the elimination of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Another important thing to consider is the difference between a small tree and a large tree. Even a tree that is several decades old and nearing what most in the paper and logging industry would deem harvestable size differs considerably in the composition of the ecosystem around it from an old growth tree. The characteristics of the wood are also different.
Comments on this entry are closed.