How Solid Wood Dining Room Furniture Helps the Environment

Going green has become increasingly important as we recognize the impact we are having on the environment. NASA reports that man-made gas emissions from various industries have caused:

• The global temperature to rise 2 degrees
• Ice sheets to melt
• Oceans acidification
• Increased extreme weather events

All of this leads to killing wildlife and hurting our planet. We can all do something to reduce our effect on the planet; one of those things is buying solid wood furniture.

It might seem counterintuitive: you don't want to cut down trees, do you? But in fact, solid wood furniture is one of the most environmentally friendly furniture options you can buy. Keep reading to find out what's so special about wood furniture.

 

Solid Wood Is Durable and Strong

Wood is extremely strong: wooden buildings are said to be just as strong as steel. This isn't surprising considering that wood comes from large, strong, durable, towering trees.

Wooden furniture is made to be sturdy, which will make it last for years and years. These pieces can last so long that many family heirlooms are grand wooden dining room tables or wardrobes that are passed down for generations.

Other types of furniture can break easily and have to be replaced more often. This leads to overusing materials, having a larger carbon footprint, and adding waste to landfills. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that there is almost 10 million tons of furniture waste each year.

Investing in wooden furniture, on the other hand, will mean you obtain a piece that will last you a long while. Not only will this eventually save you money, but it will mean less waste and emissions while getting a higher quality product.

Wood Can Be Reused and Recycled

Because of its durability, wood can be reused and recycled even after its initial use.

Reclaimed Wood

Some pieces of solid wood furniture are made of "reclaimed wood." This means that the piece of furniture is made of older, pre-used wood from any number of sources, like old wooden boats, sheds, planks, etc.

Reuse

The durability and quality of wood also allows for the reuse of the furniture itself. You can take a piece apart and use the wood from it to create something new without having to harvest any new wood. You can't do this with other types of materials, meaning that old furniture is just thrown out.

We already mentioned passing furniture down for generations; this reuse shows just how long-lasting a piece of solid wood furniture can be. This also isn't true for most other types of furniture: it doesn't seem likely that you would be passing down an old, plastic end table, does it?

Recycle

Wood is also a great energy source. If the life of a piece of wood has come to an end in terms of its use in furniture or structures, it can be burned for fuel. No part of the wood will go unused, as it can all be reused and recycled multiple times.

All of this recycling means that there is less need to continually cut down trees. This saves trees for the environment. Burning old or leftover wood for fuel also reduces the need to burn harmful fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. There is also less waste because no part of the wood, or the tree it came from, is wasted.

 

Wood Is a Renewable Resource

With resources like coal, oil, and gas, once you use them all up, there's no way to get them back. These are finite resources: there's only a certain amount on Earth.

Trees aren't like that. Since they are plants, you can constantly grow more trees to replace ones that are used.

When buying solid wood furniture, you can look for a company that pledges to plant trees with each piece they sell or with each tree they cut down. Trees won't be depleted because they can be easily planted and grown to balance out human use.

There are also tree farms and specific harvesting tactics that limit deforestation and tree depletion. This combined with the planting of new trees makes wood a sustainable, renewable resource.

Wood Can Store Carbon

Planting and using trees for their wood is not only a great renewable resource, but it can also serve to store carbon.

Carbon dioxide is one of the main man-made emissions that is causing climate change. Trees can help counteract these carbon emissions: they're what is known as "carbon sinks."

What does that mean? It means that trees take in carbon dioxide and hold it in the wood. This can remove huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which limits the effect on the environment.

Even if the tree is cut down, the wood will still hold onto the carbon it took in as a tree. By buying wood furniture, you will be actually helping counteract climate change. Your furniture is holding onto carbon dioxide that can harm the planet. Also, the trees planted to replace the wood from your furniture will continue to absorb carbon as they grow.

Solid Wood Products Produce Little to No Waste

Other furniture materials produce all kinds of waste, including:

• Chemical waste
• Wasted materials
• Product waste in dumps and landfills

The wood industry has little to no waste whatsoever. Remember how we said that wood can be reused and recycled? Every single part of the tree can be utilized and reused in some way during the manufacturing process.

The tree can be used in all of the following ways:

• Lumber
• Furniture Pieces
• Building Material

The parts that can't be used for these purposes can be burned and used as an energy source. This way, every part of the source material is used to yield no waste and produce little emissions output.

 

Wood Products Produce Less Pollution Than Other Building Materials

Fossil Fuels and Pollutants

Burning gas, oil, and coal releases harmful pollutants into the air and environment. Between the energy and emissions it takes to harvest these products and the emissions created once they're burned, oil and gas is one of the largest contributors of gas emissions in the world.

Manufacturing steel, glass, plastic, and other building materials involves burning these fossil fuels. Buying those products supports those industries and will lead to gas emissions and pollutions.

Wood manufacturing, on the other hand, produces no waste. All of the wood produced is used for a specific, long-lasting purpose. The wood burned can also be used for energy, often fueling the manufacturing itself.

Making and manufacturing solid wood furniture doesn't involve these products or fuels that release harmful chemicals into the air. It also won't result in harmful gas leaks, oil spills, or chemical waste like other industries might.

Trash and Product Waste Pollution

This also brings us back to the idea that wood is durable and recyclable.

Other furniture materials won't last as long, leading to you buying more and more furniture over the years. This supports industries that are burning fossil fuels and creating chemical and material waste. You'll also be putting the old furniture into landfills.

This all contributes to pollution whether that is through:

• Trash dumps
• Ocean trash accumulation
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Oil spills
• Gas leaks
• Chemical waste

By purchasing solid wood furniture, you'll be supporting a sustainable industry that uses a renewable, green resource. You'll be able to use that furniture for years, reuse it when you want, and even burn it for energy without burning fossil fuels.

Wood is also biodegradable, so if you decide to toss your furniture, it won't sit in a landfill for thousands of years polluting the soil and oceans like other building materials would.

 

There Are Specialized Sustainable Options

Besides already providing benefits to the environment through carbon absorption, no waste, and long-lasting durability, you can find wood products specifically marked as certified sustainable wood.

These wood products are ensured to come from harvesting tactics that are sustainable, whether that is sustainable tree farms, sustainable forest harvesting, or reclaimed wood sources.

You can also look for companies that pledge to plant trees and utilize environmentally friendly paints, stains, and wood products.

Bottom Line

If you're looking to buy some new furniture, solid wood is the way to go. Wood furniture will last a lifetime, giving you an excellent piece to be proud of. Not only that, but you'll also be supporting an industry that produces little waste, few harmful emissions, and one that is committed to being sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Check out our amazing selection of solid wood furniture. Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions or want to request more information.