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Sustainable wood is grown in eco-friendly forests or sourced locally to reduce energy consumption. Bamboo, cane, mango, and maple are good examples. Deforestation harms the environment by reducing carbon dioxide absorption and threatening plant and animal survival. Bamboo and mango are popular sustainable wood options. Some of the worst woods for sustainability include teak, mahogany, ebony, and rosewood.
Sustainable wood is grown and harvested in eco-friendly forests and describes recycled and reclaimed products. Some good examples of sustainable wood include bamboo, cane, mango and maple. These plants mature quickly and can be continually replanted instead of cutting trees from tropical rainforests. Sustainable wood could also refer to sourcing locally to reduce the amount of energy consumed in harvesting, processing, and transporting wood materials.
The concept of sustainable forestry arose to address greenhouse gases that some experts believe harm the environment. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere, essentially surviving on greenhouse gases. When trees are cut down for wood products, it could increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the region because fewer trees absorb this gas. Deforestation also threatens the survival of plants and animals that use trees for food, shelter and nests.
Bamboo is considered one of the best sustainable wood choices because it grows so quickly. It’s actually a grass, described as three times as hardy as oak. Under perfect conditions, bamboo can grow 2 to 4 meters per day. Bamboo is ready to harvest after about three years, compared to hardwoods which mature in 0.6-1.2 years, depending on the species.
This sustainable wood resists decay and can be cut into planks. It serves as a popular flooring product due to its strength. In some areas, entire houses are built with bamboo products. Reed, a grass native to the Philippines, is even stronger than bamboo and is gaining popularity in the construction industry.
Mango describes another sustainable wood option. Farmers grow mango trees mainly for fruit, but the trees stop producing fruit when they reach 15-20 years of age. In the past, trees were cut down to make room for new plants and the wood was discarded. As the demand for sustainable wood products grew, farmers found they could sell felled trees to furniture makers at a profit.
A mango tree can reach 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters) tall with diameters of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Its wood varies from an ash-blonde color to a deep brown similar to mahogany. Mango wood is prized for its distinctive grain, described as resembling tiger’s eye. It can be transformed into tables, kitchen cabinets, bookshelves and almost any other type of furniture.
Some of the worst woods for sustainability include those grown in subtropical regions. They include teak, mahogany, ebony and rosewood. Other slow-growing types of trees also produce wood that is considered hostile to the ecosystem. Oak, spruce, redwood, and beech represent trees that take many years to grow large enough to be used as lumber.
