Researchers from the Yale University explain benefits of the use of wood instead of steel and concrete, in order to cut carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption, also safeguarding the biodiversity and the environment. Using more woodand less concrete and steel in building constructions would significantly cut global carbon dioxide emissions and fossil fuel consumption, a recent Yale University’ study says. It is generally considered that tree harvesting should be reduced as less as possible to preserve the biodiversity and to safeguard the carbon storage capacity. However, a sustainable wood management could reach the goal of reducing the fossil fuel burning, the university’s research has shown. To achieve these results, the researchers from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the University of Washington's College have outlined various proposals such as leaving forests untouched, burning wood for energy, and using solid wood products for construction. The study shows that the quantity of wood globally gathered each year is 3.4 billion cubic meters: this represents only 20 percent of annual wood growth, that amounts to 17 billion cubic meters. Moreover, the majority of the harvests are wasted due to its use for cooking. The scientists explain that the increase of the wood harvest to the equivalent of at least 34% of the annual wood growth would create significant consequences. Firstly, one of the main result would be that the global CO2 emissions could be reduced by avoiding emissions related to steel and concrete and by storing CO2 in the cellulose and lignin of wood products. Secondly, the global fossil fuel consumption would be reduced between 12 and 19 percent; in this way the scrap wood and the waste materials could be burned to make energy, replacing fossil fuel consumption at the same time. The constructions made of wood consume less energy than steel and concrete buildings. Following this, the study explains that an efficient harvest and product use would avoid more CO2 emissions, saving also materials and wood energy. The research stresses also the importance of the forests that should not be unduly sacrificed for the benefit of the agriculture. Researchers of the Forestry and Environmental Studies describe forest harvest as a temporary opening needed by forest species such as butterflies and deers. The complete conversion to agriculture would represent a permanent loss of all peculiar forest biodiversity. The production of steel, concrete, and brick represents 6% of global fossil fuel consumption. In addition to this, if we consider the transport and the assembly of steel, concrete, and brick products its share of fossil fuel burning reach levels of 20% and even 30%. The aim to reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions from construction will be constantly more difficult to achieve due to the demand for new buildings, bridges and infrastructures forecast in the coming decades related to the economic development in Asia, Africa, and South America. According to this, it is necessary to evaluate programs for innovative construction techniques, making wood more effective and useful. The study also highlights that a carefully managed harvesting will have other positive benefits such as the reduction of the risks of catastrophic wildfires and the maintaining of the forest habitats and densities in non-reserved forests. In this way, the biodiversity will be safeguarded in ecosystems all over the world. According to this view, it’s fundamental for the environment’s safety to maintain the diversity of habitats, needed by the different species, by harvesting just a part of the forest growth in order to save fossil fuel and CO2 emissions, providing also more jobs for local people. The gLAWcal Team Monday, 7 April, 2014 (Source: Sciencedaily)