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Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Logging is the act of taking down trees to use or sell for wood or other products, such as paper, toilet paper, and cardboard. Logging is the 4th greatest contributor to deforestation.
"Perhaps the most iconic symbol of forest destruction, wood production has been shown to cause around 380,000 hectares of deforestation annually in key countries, though the actual number is likely higher. Wood products can be divided into two categories. Pulp is made from tree fibers and used to produce paper and related products. It drives deforestation primarily in Indonesia, where forests are cut down for plantations of fast-growing tree species. Timber, used for construction or high-end products like furniture, is most clearly linked to forest degradation, in which valuable tree species are harvested and the rest remain. Degraded forests are more likely to be targeted for conversion to other land uses." - UCSUSA: What's Driving Deforestation
Logging By Location
Logging By Location
Most of the world's deforestation is done for farming, particularly cattle (especially in the Amazon), followed by some of the most common livestock feed ingredients, but this section focuses on the places where logging is a particular threat to forests.
Europe
Europe
Norway
Norway
"It is estimated that 70-90% of the original boreal rain forest in Norway has been destroyed in the last 70 years! Clearcutting and (forest) road construction are the main threats to the boreal rain forest. Less than 25 small and scattered localities are protected. Around 260 localities (2 - 250 hectars in size) are known. The common in the boreal rain forest is logging operations. It should be forest protection. Scientists have given the boreal rain forest very high priority based on the gap analysis on forest protection in Norway." - Panda: Natural Forest Heritage in Norway
"Today, more than 20 per cent of the broadleaved forests are logged and replaced with non-native tree species. The forest sector continues this destructive management, manipulating living forests into boring monoculture of non-native species. This is the biggest threat to this unique and biodiversity rich forest ecosystem, for which Norway has an international responsibility! " - Panda: Natural Forest Heritage in Norway
Poland
Poland
North America
North America
Canada
Canada
Solutions
Solutions
Reduce Impact with the 3 R's - Reduce > Reduce > Recycle
Reduce Impact with the 3 R's - Reduce > Reduce > Recycle
Remember that these are in order of which are more impactful, and use less energy and resources to implement.
Reduce Toilet Paper Use & Other Single-Use Paper Products
Reduce Toilet Paper Use & Other Single-Use Paper Products
In countries where toilet paper has become normalized - an every day "essential", we can reduce our impact on the environment most quickly by reducing our toilet paper, paper towels, and paper napkin consumption.
Install a bidet or bidet attachment to reduce toilet paper use.
Cut old cotton T-shirts into squares to replace single use paper towels or wet wipes. This keeps textiles out of landfills longer, saves a lot of money, as well as other resources like water. Data indicates that washing towels, rags, etc. uses less money than growing trees or processing them into paper products.
Warning!: Do NOT flush rags nor even "flushable wipes" as they will block the plumbing.
Combat Junk Mail
Combat Junk Mail
Be careful to avoid mailing lists except for things you genuinely care about, and ask companies you don't want to hear from to stop dumping their junk on you.
Apps like PaperKarma, can help, some countries have a national junk mail exclusion list that you can register with (though you may have to pay a small processing fee and/or reapply every few years). Major advertising companies that send large catalogs of envelopes full of advertising/coupons should have at least one option for contacting them for removal from their mailing lists. Valpak for example has an Address Removal link hidden at the bottom of their homepage, though some companies make removing yourself much more difficult with phone mazes and other annoying barriers. Depending on your local laws, you may be able to find external ways to pressure companies into ensuring their phone numbers and other forms of access are functional.
If these don't work, try calling or writing to the company using the contact info on the junk mail. The term "cease and desist" can improve your chances of success. The address is usually somewhere on the outside of the packaging you receive, or in the header on a front page in letters and magazines.
Burn Less Wood
Burn Less Wood
If you cook with firewood, then reduce the amount of wood you need by using a warming basket or fireless cooker to heat food and water. These can reduce firewood use by as much as 80% in places like Africa where wood is a primary cooking fuel.
This also uses less energy to cook in general, reducing your food related emissions somewhat.
Buy Second-Hand Wood or Paper Products
Buy Second-Hand Wood or Paper Products
Buy second hand furniture (antique and vintage are usually better quality than modern products), or buy from certified sources.
Browse second-hand shops for note books and similar supplies, support second-hand bookshops as often as possible instead of buying new.
Reclaimed and Refurbished Wood Products
Reclaimed and Refurbished Wood Products
Reclaimed wood products help keep lumber out of landfills.
Support Sustainably Grown Wood
Support Sustainably Grown Wood
Sustainably grown wood still creates emissions, but the impacts are lower, especially when cut trees are replaced with local native species, instead of invasive and monoculture "forests".
If you have to buy new products, search for the SFC-Certified label from the Forest Stewardship Council.
Forest Managers should make sure to sign up with a certification program such as the Forest Stewardship Council for training and annual audits that will ensure the proper protection of forests.
The Daisugi method can produce more wood, which is stronger, straighter, and more flexible wood than can be harvested from simply chopping trees to the ground.
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