Laia Biosca
A few days ago we received a comment on a post on our networks from a person who claimed that for every wooden building that is made, a huge forest disappears. We could consider it an isolated comment, but whether or not this is the case, at I'm in our main mission is to inform and give truthful knowledge of the context of our product around ecology and the environment.
This comment clearly shows that there are still wrong preconceived ideas or false myths surrounding timber construction and sustainability (I take this opportunity to leave a link to another article of ours that also talks about it: 5 myths and realities of building with wood.
So let's get started!
According to the RAE, deforestar means "to strip a piece of land of forest plants".
In other words, deforestation is the action caused by humans where the forest area (trees, shrubs, plants, etc.) is destroyed and depleted. We can log, but it does not have to be destructive, nor does it have to lead to deforestation. It is important to know where the wood comes from and that is why there is FSC certification, which certifies that the forest from which we obtain the wood is being managed in a way that preserves biodiversity. 1
On the other hand, it is important to be aware that there are several factors that cause deforestation, such as, for example, agricultural and livestock expansion. Nowadays, the consumption of meat, fish, palm oil and soya products is rampant, and this is the main cause of the destruction of the rainforest in the Amazon or Indonesia. 2
At I'm in we preserve and are responsible with the ecosystem in the following way:
To quote Greenpeace.org: "Greenpeace advocates the consumption of wood, cork and other forest products, as wood is a renewable resource, much more environmentally friendly than other toxic materials (such as PVC) or materials that are more expensive and polluting to produce (aluminium, iron, cement, etc.). Wood is a natural carbon store and its responsible consumption favours the socio-economic development of local populations". 4
If we want to give more specific data on the management of logging for timber, El País detailed the following in one of its articles:
"In both Finland and Spain, less wood is cut than new growth each year. In the Nordic country, "if the annual growth is 60 million cubic metres of wood, only 40 million cubic metres are allowed to be cut". In Spain, 16,000 cubic metres are felled, representing 30% of annual growth."5
Our company philosophy was born with the idea of being able to contribute in the best way possible to leave a more sustainable world for tomorrow. And this is what sustainability is all about: being aware that the resources of nature and the environment are finite and that we must know how to use them responsibly and rationally in order to protect them.
In the next blog post, we will talk in detail about small changes we can all make in our daily lives that would have a dramatic impact on reversing climate change.
We talk about liquid building systems and highlight the efficiency and sustainability of the combination of lightweight framing and cross-laminated timber in construction.
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In this article, we will debunk some of the most common myths and explain why wood remains a popular and reliable choice for construction.
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