On 12/1/95, Nelson Wong writes: > The question here is not whether old-growth forests are a renewable > resource but whether timber by itself is a renewable resource. Secondly, if While I can appreciate the fact that this may not be an issue for you, it is most certainly an issue for many of us here in the states, and is certainly an issue for me personally when a mere 50 miles from my house healthy, green, 600 and 700 year old trees are being cut under the auspices of "forest health" by reducing fire risk. Now I admit that I'm not a forester, but I do know that when a fire burns through a forest, it is usually the smaller trees and the underbrush that burn, not the big trees with 10-14" cambiums. The reason these healthy old giants are falling is because they're valuable, not because Boise Cascade et al. are concerned about "forest health." Most people I know (including myself as I'm a carpenter when I'm not in school) firmly beleive is sustainable wood products. What is a constant rallying point for us "eco-terrorists" is the destruction of the last 5% or so of our native forests *that are on public lands* Why the industry doesn't realize this, and back off, I'll never understand. I guess it's called greed. > step further, what about plastics eg. PVCs for that matter. Are metals > and plastics bio-degradeble ? Are they environmental friendly ? Are metal > ores renewable and sustainable ? If not, which would one prefers to use ? > Metals and plastics, or, timber ? Answers please. No, most metals and plastics can be recycled and thus reused. Does the timber industry make any effort to recycle wood products (other than paper)? As a contracter, it is very frustrating to fill a 20 yd dumpster with perfectly good 2x4's etc. that can't be reused ala building codes that don't permit it. The industry has consistatly fought efforts to rewrite the building codes to allow for the use of "used lumber." After all, they only profit on virgin materials. Bret Diamond diam9018@tao.sosc.osshe.edu Oregon, USA
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