subject: Using Wood Cribs to Promote Sustainability: Environmentalism [print this page] Using Wood Cribs to Promote Sustainability: Environmentalism
What does sustainability mean and why is sustainability important?
We hear the terms all the time. Whether it is on the news or by the water-cooler someone is talking about the environment in some way. If you believe in global warming or not isn't important something that is undeniable is we don't want to spoil the areas around us for future generations.
So what does sustainability mean and how do you know if you are promoting sustainability and sustainable practices? Well let's look at the quality of life in your County, City, State or town. Ask yourself some really simple questions and look at how things have changed in the last few years.
Have things gotten better or worse? Look at air quality, local wildlife, rumors of global wildlife, water quality both in your town/country and worldwide, are there food shortages and what is the response like when disasters strike. Often these things are viewed as different topics altogether but when it comes to sustainability they are one issue.
A good way to be more sustainable is by using wood in furniture. Recently there was an exhibition in Europe revolving around using wood and its sustainable property to help reduce climate change. Most of the climate change argument revolves around wood's long-term ability to hold Co2 but many things from the conference were of particular interest in regards to sustainability.
Although wood is very well known not a lot of people relate wood and sustainability in the same thought process. Wood has a huge contribution to sustainable development. If more people know that wood is very sustainable they might think twice before buying other less sustainable. Also, the woodworking sector is clearly committed to the environment by using forestry residues and co-products as well as recycling wood to produce e.g. wood-based panels.
The French government has taken it a step further by making I mandatory to use a minimum amount of food in construction. Some of the French are saying it should go further and foster the combined use of wood in all its forms with other materials.
Some interesting points about wood and Co2 "Every cubic meter of wood used as a substitute for other building materials will reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by an average of 1.1 tones of CO2. Adding this to the 0.9 tones of CO2 stored in wood, each cubic meter of wood saves a total of 2 tones of CO2. Thus a 10% increase in the percentage of timber frame houses in Europe would produce sufficient CO2 savings to account for 25% of the reduction prescribed by the Kyoto Protocol."
Like Europe, New Zealand puts a high value on the sustainability of wood. New Zealand companies like Cariboo cribs and nursery furniture build their handcrafted cribs from sustainable New Zealand Radiata. Cariboo products are constructed from carbon-neutral Radiata pine sourced from South Island forests. The timber is sawed, planed, sanded and assembled to an exacting high quality in rural North Canterbury, New Zealand. Their closeness to the outdoors, fresh air and forest can be seen in all Cariboo products. Cariboo brings baby and nursery one-step closer to nature and a sustainable home.
With all the talk around sustainability it is easier than most people think to be sustainable. Buying wood products from companies like Cariboo cribs can help us all potentially live a happier and healthier life.
