This is a good piece in the Guardian. Despite the ubiquitous use of digital technologies the demand for paper, pulp and packaging, let alone construction materials, is soaring. Then along comes newer bio-based materials and bio-plastics. The world is not really having a serious conversation about the supply of wood for our expanding economy. This will need to change, soonest. https://lnkd.in/eYXHUya8
A dilemma of tangled issues. Pulp & paper sector globally has huge potential for renewable & climate change positive resources supply. BUT you are going to lose public suport & positive image if you do not implement a global.wide ban on old growth forest harvest & plantations built on deforested lands. You need to control the cowboys & pirates in your ranks to improve your industry image. Tidy your "own house' first. Then come back to us on your excellent quest for farm & degraded land grown plantations.
Interesting take on an industry with an oversimplified view of the supply source and supply chain. It is economically unviable to feed pulp mills from unmanaged logistically disadvantaged old forest (tropical or Boreal). The best alternative we have is managed “planted” tree farms in already degraded non agricultural lands (food maters). This is true both for pulp products of all types as well as solid wood products to Jack Hurd ‘s point on an ever growing demand for pulp deravated and solid wood products.
This little film we did on viscose in Indonesia and the choices and trade offs faced, might be of interest https://youtu.be/75xoM4DZFkc?si=3hiO82z7vYuoAJpN
Many bio-based materials are using perennial grasses, agri waste, algae, fungi, bamboo instead of wood.
Add to this the number of trees being felled for man-made-cellulose fibres for the fashion industry
Emily Heslop Ian Welsh Mallen Baker
Professor, University of British Columbia
1moHow many 1000 year old trees are mowed down for textiles or pulp and paper? I appreciate CANOPY is a campaigning organization but the headlines do make it more difficult to have conversations about how to produce more sustainable wood for a circular forest bioeconomy with the goal of replacing fossil fuel based materials.