Yesterday I had an disconcerting encounter with an individual. This individual was one of these urban ferals, the bath abstaining bicycle riding variate. Who posited the argument that "timber should only come from rubbish skips", that timber should all be local that you buy direct from the sawmill. That "Bunnings is evil" and that people who shop at Bunnings are akin to pedophiles. That timber should not come from overseas because its bad for the planet.
I stated that when making furniture the density & workability are important when selecting timbers. That in Australia almost all furniture timbers are questionable in terms of there sustainability. With many of our traditional furniture timbers used in abundance before WW2, Aus. Red Cedar, QLD Maple, Blackwood, Myrtle, Huon Pine, Celery Top & Coachwood are now either restricted or available in ever smaller quantities. That New Zealand, North American & Europe have abundant furniture timbers with climates and regulatory schemes to ensure at least some level of sustainability.
I am not concerned where my timber come from, as long as it not a rainforest South East Asian, South American, developing world timber, whose timbers prodigy cannot be assured by any measure. We live in a global planet, we drink tea from India, pasta from Italy, coffee from East Timor, computers, smart phones from China & cars from Japan. The idea of local only is naive at best and fascist at its worst, in so far they believe that which comes from ones own country to be superior based on the notion of national allegiance. There is a great argument that it was more environmentally sustainable to eat New Zealand Lamb in the UK. Because even with the shipping the inputs like fossil fuels and chemicals required to grow sheep in the UK was greater then in New Zealand.
I mentioned to this individual that a large amount of radiata pine in Australia comes from New Zealand. Which has a better climate for growing softwoods then we do. It makes environmental sense to grow crops like a tree in climate that is most conducive. How rational is it to grow rice in a desert or mangoes at the north pole. Can it be done yes, is it however an effective use of planetary resources? An unequivocal no.
Now I know that such a person cannot be dissuaded by logical argument, they fall into the same basket as supporters of 'intelligent design', right-to-lifers and skin-heads, however I would like to be better able to mount a defensible position for the use of timber for furniture making. However a quick search on this topic brings up a whole bunch of wild claims, often with no academic rigor, by parties with ideologically vested interests.
Can anyone direct me to academic studies or non-pro-forestry & non-greeny so that I can garner some facts. Most information I have found is also extremely out of date, often going back into the 1980's.
On a personal note, I feel that people who oppose timber used in furniture, are being hypocritical, since most timber is turned into books, toilet paper, cardboard & used in house construction. Before they criticize the use of timber for furniture they should stop using timber to wipe their posteriors and refuse to seek shelter in any structure made my human hands. Maybe they can squat under a tree and use an organically certified leaf when natures calls.
PS. What would you tell such an individual?
I stated that when making furniture the density & workability are important when selecting timbers. That in Australia almost all furniture timbers are questionable in terms of there sustainability. With many of our traditional furniture timbers used in abundance before WW2, Aus. Red Cedar, QLD Maple, Blackwood, Myrtle, Huon Pine, Celery Top & Coachwood are now either restricted or available in ever smaller quantities. That New Zealand, North American & Europe have abundant furniture timbers with climates and regulatory schemes to ensure at least some level of sustainability.
I am not concerned where my timber come from, as long as it not a rainforest South East Asian, South American, developing world timber, whose timbers prodigy cannot be assured by any measure. We live in a global planet, we drink tea from India, pasta from Italy, coffee from East Timor, computers, smart phones from China & cars from Japan. The idea of local only is naive at best and fascist at its worst, in so far they believe that which comes from ones own country to be superior based on the notion of national allegiance. There is a great argument that it was more environmentally sustainable to eat New Zealand Lamb in the UK. Because even with the shipping the inputs like fossil fuels and chemicals required to grow sheep in the UK was greater then in New Zealand.
I mentioned to this individual that a large amount of radiata pine in Australia comes from New Zealand. Which has a better climate for growing softwoods then we do. It makes environmental sense to grow crops like a tree in climate that is most conducive. How rational is it to grow rice in a desert or mangoes at the north pole. Can it be done yes, is it however an effective use of planetary resources? An unequivocal no.
Now I know that such a person cannot be dissuaded by logical argument, they fall into the same basket as supporters of 'intelligent design', right-to-lifers and skin-heads, however I would like to be better able to mount a defensible position for the use of timber for furniture making. However a quick search on this topic brings up a whole bunch of wild claims, often with no academic rigor, by parties with ideologically vested interests.
Can anyone direct me to academic studies or non-pro-forestry & non-greeny so that I can garner some facts. Most information I have found is also extremely out of date, often going back into the 1980's.
On a personal note, I feel that people who oppose timber used in furniture, are being hypocritical, since most timber is turned into books, toilet paper, cardboard & used in house construction. Before they criticize the use of timber for furniture they should stop using timber to wipe their posteriors and refuse to seek shelter in any structure made my human hands. Maybe they can squat under a tree and use an organically certified leaf when natures calls.
PS. What would you tell such an individual?
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