Indeed, there’s a lot more to responsible harvesting for forest management. Wood has been present in the Caspian region for over 20 years. 40% of all productive woodland is harvested each year in Canada. In today’s complex regulatory environment, the need for a reliable and innovative partner to guide infrastructure development, permitting and compliance is greater than ever. Wood’s global network of experts in policy, environmental science, sustainability and engineering work seamlessly to help customers develop and operate compliant, productive assets. If you want a lamp, or some coasters, or a shelf, you could purchase something made of plastic, or glass, or any of a hundred other materials. Bark, trims and sawdust are used as an energy source to help power wood production facilities. Wood products are produced from trees, a naturally renewable resource. Wood products that have been installed and are used in an appropriate way tend to have a favourable environmental profile compared to functionally equivalent products out of other materials. By linking policy to applicable regulations and project-specific permit conditions, we assist our customers with major infrastructure developments, environmental audits, permits and other required project approvals. Illustrative breakdown of the stages of a product or material life that should be considered when understanding the carbon footprint. We relish taking on the most challenging of projects from strategy to submissions, with a keen focus on always meeting your priorities and adding value. So while the bonfire alone isn't carbon neutral, in the relatively short lifespan of the tree, the growth-to-bonfire process is carbon neutral. We have maintained a presence in the region for over 7 decades; helping design, build, operate, maintain, and modify some of the world’s largest and complex facilities. But that’s not a short time process. We proactively monitor developments and changes in environmental policies to provide an early look on emerging regulatory trends and likely changes to regulations. Our success depends on feeling part of a team with people around us that we can rely on. We are known in Europe for our unrivalled asset familiarity and performance-driven solutions throughout the asset life cycle, from development to decommissioning. For our clients who want the finest in breathtaking natural hardwood floors without putting our precious environment at risk, we thank you. It is also durable, adaptable and can have positive impacts on a building’s occupants. Wood Environmental Service (WES) was established in 1995 and is owned and operated by Judy Wood, Air Quality Environmental Scientist, UCSB graduate in Environmental Studies with over 20 years in the air qualtiy environmental industry. That's because that carbon in the tree came from the atmosphere in the first place, as the tree grew from a seed. A dry environment may require different wood than you would use in a wet environment. Is Wood Material Good For Environment? Every Piece is unique . You can unsubscribe at any time. Yes, raw or natural wood will not do harm to our environment unless it has been treated. Almost 16% of people in the south-east of England use wood fuel, and 18% in Northern Ireland, according to 2016 government data, and about 175,000 wood burners are sold annually. It takes … They range from local land use to global climate change, and from applications in smoky kitchens to electricity generation in large-scale power stations. Hover over the bars for more detailed information. So, here’s my attempt to square this circle. Environmental aspects of wood energy use are diverse. Backed by an 85+ year history of operating within the Asia Pacific region, Wood is proud of its longstanding partnerships, underpinned by our proven ability to optimise asset performance, drive capital efficiency and deliver for our customers. 2. Wood Environmental & Infrastructure ****Use1012038 Wood Environ*** Corporate Registry Search BIP Registry BP-100267; Search. This wake-up-call environmental documentary follows Von Bismarck and his comrades into the hell of profit-lust and back again. That additional carbon sits contributes to global warming (or gets absorbed by the ocean, acidifying the water, or having other deleterious effects on our global environment). The durability or longevity factor should be another consideration. So you could make 150 of them from a cubic meter of wood - or in 1998, if I had cornered the wood market, I could have made 225 billion of these lamps, enough for every person on the planet to have about 30! This post is motivated by a number of conversations that have made me think about the potential contradiction in my environmentalist tendencies and my using wood as my primary medium. In a world of complex environmental and infrastructure challenges, Wood applies ingenuity, innovative technologies and customer focus to deliver balanced solutions that meet your specific business priorities. 2. Incredibly beautiful. Our culture supports us to perform better and look for opportunities to move our business forward. Our footprint in Africa continues to expand. > AISC Caveat Emptor: Sustainability Wood and the Environment 14 Every LCA is different, and each LCA makes certain assumptions. However, understanding a material’s impacts at every stage of its life is essential—and LCA studies consistently show that wood has a favorable environmental profile compared with functionally equivalent products made from other materials. And at least from a carbon neutrality perspective - though not from a localized air pollution or a deforestation perspective in certain regions - wood is an acceptable fuel. In larger scales, however, there are clearly bad effects: Northern California briefly took the crown of having the world’s worst air quality in mid-November due to the tragic Camp Fire; breathing the unfiltered San Francisco air for a day then was equivalent to smoking a half pack of cigarettes. All of these will be topics I cover in future posts. I periodically host a bonfire to get rid of scraps I accumulate - primarily construction-grade framing wood, but also occasionally scrap hardwood that I just can't find a home for in either my own projects or via with my fellow artists. In today’s complex regulatory environment, the need for a reliable and innovative partner to guide infrastructure development, permitting and compliance is greater than ever. The harvest of wood and production I-joists is better for the environment than the mining and production of other materials. Is there a particular environmental concern you have with forestry management, or consuming wood products? Wood has been present in the Caspian region for over 20 years. Wood preservative products are those that claim to control wood degradation problems due to fungal rot or decay, sapstain, molds, or wood-destroying insects. For more than 125 years, Wood has delivered comprehensive services throughout North America to support our customers across the complete asset life cycle. A study by the Canadian Wood Council compared the life cycle impacts of three 2,400-square-foot (220 m 2 ) homes designed primarily in wood, steel and concrete over the first 20 years of their lifespans. By supporting and utilizing this resourceful system, you are aiding the effort in revitalizing this natural and precious wood; giving it new life in the best way possible. Unsurprisingly, the assessment procedures have shown that wood as material contributes less pollution in term of environment compared to concrete or steel. Residential, Commercial & Industrial Indoor Air Quality Assessments, Testing and Recommendations So while it’d be better to not purchase anything at all, if you do, use wood! Steel and concrete consume 12% and 20% more energy, emit 15% and 29% more greenhouse gases, and release 10% and 12% more pollutants into the air, and generate 300% and 225% more water pollutants than wood, respectively. In fact it should be promoted on environmental grounds. Around the world, billions of dollars are made from illegal logging. This represents about 0.8% of the growing stock. Protects wooden floors without substantially changing the natural, unfinished colour of the wood. Goodbye, failed early attempt at a round coffee table, c. Nov 2017. One could say that over the time horizon of millions of years it took the oil to form to when it was ultimately burned, that too is carbon neutral! Unexpected Complexities of Swearing in Braille, Tips for Creating the Ultimate Indoor Workshop, Fabricating Custom Treads for a Circular Staircase, Shameless (Cross) Promotion: Stained Glass & General Contractors, Four Nifty Steampunk Display Technologies. With technical and regulatory expertise covering water, land use, air and all related ecosystems, we focus on addressing our customers' environmental challenges and managing important inputs from regulatory authorities and other key stakeholders. There are wood preservatives that support a tolerance for indirect food-contact uses such as wooden crates, pallets, and stakes used to store or gro… Said another way, though it’s always better to consume less, if you are going to consume, do it with goods that take less energy to create, and leave less of a carbon footprint on the planet. Receive notifications when new blog entries are posted, as well as periodic newsletters of upcoming shows and new products. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange as well as being a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index History. Entire organizations exist to help manage, educate, police, and certify producers. We understand the real-world challenges our customers face in complying with so many regulations while striving to operate profitably and meet schedules. Logs you've cut down from your property, that old pallet sitting in your backyard, or some wood scraps? Before selecting a type of wood for your project, consider the climate it will be exposed to. It's tough to come by well-vetted (and current) stats, but here's a few from Wikipedia: The worldwide growing "stock" of forests is about 434 billion cubic meters (2005). Wood has been present in the Caspian region for over 20 years. December 8, 2018 Sustainability David Wertheimer 3 Comments This post is motivated by a number of conversations that have made me think about the potential contradiction in my environmentalist tendencies and my using wood as my primary medium. We design and deliver strategic assets for our customers, offering services from environmental and front-end engineering design to decommissioning. An average 2000 square foot house uses the equivalent of roughly 1875 2x4s for framing, so that means that was enough wood harvested in 1998 to frame 80 million comfortable homes. Wood is a focused supplier of consultancy, engineering and project services to the world’s O&G, mining, clean energy, water and environmental sectors. Through which, the environmental impact of wood production from the very first state of harvesting to the end of life of the product, can be studied and compared to other materials. Wood is a focused supplier of consultancy, engineering and project services to the world’s O&G, mining, clean energy, water and environmental sectors. Environmental effects related to the use of wood-based products. However, most of my small products, such as this popular lamp, use between a quarter and a half of a board foot. Contracts Over Time. Our teams of scientists, engineers and regulatory specialists maximise your operational flexibility throughout the permitting process and maximise performance improvements while helping to assure your asset complies with applicable standards and regulations. For this reason, it seems parts of China - including Tibet - have outlawed wood stoves, and the U.S. EPA has similarly banned inefficient wood burning stoves a few years back. Wood is better than many alternative materials. 35% more wood is grown than is harvested. © John Wood Group PLC 2020 Registered in Scotland No: SC36219 Registered office: 15 Justice Mill Lane Aberdeen, AB11 6EQ Scotland, UK, Environmental studies, permitting and compliance, Engineering, design and project management, Mineral resources and project assessments, Subsea, umbilical, riser and flowline (SURF), Planning clean, sustainable solutions for drinking water impacted by PFAS, Protecting public health through innovative groundwater treatment, Confronting the PFAS challenge: unlocking a resilient strategy, Future workplace: rethinking industrial hygiene to keep employees safe, Future workplace: meet the heroes of industrial hygiene, Water innovation: intelligent asset management for our future, Water innovation: one week to drive down carbon, Mining towards 2050: minerals and metals for a sustainable world, Mining towards 2050: current market outlook, Future mobility: exploring the new normal, Future mobility: the changing demands of public transport, Webinar-Effective-process-training-Efficient-operations_Wood-webinar-page-350x350a.jpg, Environmental impact studies and assessments, Aquatic, terrestrial and airborne ecology, Environmental, health, and safety (EHS) compliance audits, Stakeholder facilitation and public engagement, 80+ deep-sea drilling operations depend on our met-ocean monitoring support for the safety of their operations, Obtaining the first-ever consent from an indigenous group in a remote Peruvian village to allow studies on their land, Advising governments across four continents on water scarcity planning. - it has nothing to do with “raking the forests” of leaves, as Trump ignorantly claimed in a recent conversation. For over 30 years we have been investing selectively to improve local services and support communities. Is the structure temporary or are you building it to last? But over the few hundred years that we have existed as an industrial society, however, this is not carbon neutral. More wood is grown each year in the United States than is harvested. Alexander von Bismarck, has been on the timber mafia's trail for years. Capabilities Deforestation - Global climate change - Emissions - Further reading - Other issues in wood energy. Home The Middle East is a key growth area for Wood. Trees breathe in CO2, and breathe out O2, in the process called photosynthesis - those “C” carbon atoms, over time, become the "wood" that is the tree. We reduce your risk, liabilities and costs, and we look for opportunities to enhance both environmental quality and your bottom line. Wood pellets will be counted as renewable energy, the EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt has said, even though the EPA’s scientific board is still working on its advice on their environmental impact. That's one reason why I'm happy to say that my workshop (and my vehicle) is powered by solar energy; while that's just a small piece of the overall ecosystem, that also reduces the environmental footprint of what I sell. We combine our strong knowledge of the area, global expertise across the entire asset life cycle and experience required to operate successfully in the harsh and complex environment of the world’s largest land-locked body of water. But just saying I don't use much ain't much of a defense. Natures renewable material. Modern Functional Home Decor by David Wertheimer. Big projects - such as the 24 oval mirrors for the Southern California carousel rebuild - use a few hundred board feet (about 1 cubic meter). Repairable. Here’s why: 1. We design and deliver strategic assets for our customers, offering services from environmental and front-end engineering design to decommissioning. You may have heard wood referred to as a "renewable" or "carbon neutral" resource - how is this so, if burning it releases CO2 into the air? Wood is strategically located throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in a variety of sectors including oil and gas, refining, chemicals, water, mining, energy, industrial plants and facilities and communications. For a much more scientific and detailed analysis of hundreds of materials commonly used in construction and elsewhere, check out this paper. Most of the treatment processes and uses of treated products occur outdoors. More wood is lost to wild fires, pests and disease than is harvested. Easy to shape, adapt and work with. Wood smoke is a sign of the incomplete combustion that occurs when wood burns. But that’s not to say we can cut down all the trees: cutting down one tree from a forest is different from harvesting the entire forest! Burning wood produces environmental impacts. > Translating that to my business - I purchase wood by the "board foot", which is one square foot of lumber 1" thick, or one twelfth of a cubic foot. Indeed, wood is renewable and recyclable. Wood is better for the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution, and other impacts. is a definite no-no, for the very bad toxins that this releases into the air. Both the treatment process and the use of treated-products can result in exposure to pesticides for both people and the environment. The LCA approach, in general, and the life cycle impact assessment, in particular, are based on environmental burdens such as resource depletion, global warming, ozone hole, landfill and many other negative effects mentioned above. In fact, wood has a far lower embodied energy and carbon content than almost every other material that might be commonly used for home decor. This produces soot & ash which isn’t great for the local air quality but - on a small scale from limited camp fires and bonfires - has fairly modest impact. John Wood Group plc, commonly known as Wood, is a British multinational energy services company with headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland. Decorate and finish to your style. Unlike ore, wood is a renewable resource. WES knows that maintaining balanced ecosystems and restoring damaged or neglected landscapes benefits land owners with improved water quality and diversity of wildlife. But how about "raw" untreated wood? Wood creates a working environment where our people enjoy coming to work every day and our customers want to work with us. Paraphrased for brevity: Friend#1: "You put up solar panels, yet you cut down trees...", Friend#2: "Most people don't know where the 'material' of trees comes from...". But beyond that, does this contribute to global warming, or other types of air pollution? equivalent to smoking a half pack of cigarettes. > Environmental studies, permitting and compliance. Suitable for all commonly used types of wood species. The annual wood harvested for all purposes is about 3.5 billion cubic meters (1991), though estimates of wood used for burning have wide ranges. Blanchon Original Wood Environment is a quick drying, water-based wood treatment for wooden floors. Environment Green Living. If you're familiar with your typical eight foot 2x4, there's about 100 of them in a cubic meter. Compare that to burning fossil fuels, which prior to combustion were sequestered deep underground, and would have stayed there if not for their extraction. In attempting to assess the environmental impact of wood energy provision and consumption, it was also necessary to consider the environmental impacts related to the provision and consumption of alternate forms of energy. Is Using Wood Bad for the Environment? We combine our strong knowledge of the area, global expertise across the entire asset life cycle and experience required to operate successfully in the harsh and complex environment of the world’s largest land-locked body of water. Can be applied by spray to furniture, worktops, woodwork and vertical surfaces. The annual "roundwood" (officially counted wood not used as firewood) harvested is 1.5 billion cubic meters (1998). The provision of wood energy is generally thought to be a major contributor to forest loss, although the study did not find this always to be true. Waste is virtually eliminated when trees are used to make wood products. 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