10 Reasons Why Wood Is Important

Wood is an important renewable natural resource prevalent in our day-to-day lives as well as the global economy. As a vital tool in the history of human civilization, wood has long been a part of our life and its serviceability continues to increase annually for fuel, weapons, furniture, and many more. Millions of people today derive their livelihood working with wood. Despite that, the role it plays in our daily life often goes unnoticed. The quality of our lives has been significantly enhanced by wood; we all know the importance the wood hold is outweighed by no other single material. Here are ten reasons why wood is important for us:

#1. Wood is a renewable resource

Used sustainably and carefully managed, wood is the ultimate renewable resource for a future generation which makes it an ideal alternative to other materials which need more carbon during their production leaving larger carbon prints. As a renewable resource, wood tends to maintain the core source for continuous usage by humans for their needs but overexploitation for personal use may cause exhaustion as the source.

#2. Wood is important as a fuel source

In most parts of the world, wood is used for the production of fuels in solid, liquid, and gaseous states needed by households, industries, and commercial markets. Although, air pollution caused by the burning of wood is a significant problem by producing harmful gases like carbon monoxide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; it continues to be major source of household fuel in most developing countries.

#3. Wood is an important building material

Wood is a reliable construction material with long service life. With many valuable properties like small bulk density, aesthetic working properties, and high strength, wood is the most famous construction material. It is very easy to repair, ideal for sound absorption, and is a decorative material as well. Each wood has its smell and color, which can be shaped according to the required design and can be given any mat or bright touches. Although most modern buildings have replaced wood with cement and metals, wood is emerging with the rise of sustainable buildings and eco-friendly houses.

#4. Wood is important for carbon storage

As an elementary building block of the trees, carbon is stored in leaves, trunks as well as branches which are retained throughout the timber manufacturing process. Among other materials like aluminum, concrete, and emission-intensive steels, only wood contributes to the long-term storage of carbon addressing climate change.

#5. Wood is a natural insulator

Wood is a natural insulator, which means it is 15 times better than masonry, 1770 times better than aluminum, and 400 times better than steel due to the air pockets within its cellular structure acting as an insulating unit. Being covalently bound as a compound, compared with materials like metal, marble, and glass, wood exhibits low thermal conductivity.

#6. Wood is used to produce pulp and paper

A high percentage of the raw materials used to make paper come from wood. The raw wood is turned into pulp by mechanical pulping, which after a series of grinding and bleaching is processed into paper. The majority of the paper comes from softwoods like fir, spruce, and hemlocks woods because they have longer fibers to produce stronger paper. Moreover, hardwoods like maples, oaks and eucalyptus are also used in papermaking.

#7. Wood is used to make furniture.

Wood is one of the best and widely used raw elements used in furniture making for generations and always offers a timeless look. The strength and durability of wooden furniture always gives the best value for money. All furniture styles- industrial, traditional, modern, or contemporary- can be built with wood. Compared to other materials, wood provides a unique combination of structural integrity as well as aesthetics built to tables, beds, and cabinetry that lasts forever.

#8. Wood in music

The first musical sound to emerge was the sound of wood hitting and it has been used as a source of entertainment for eternity. In the present time, violins, harps, guitars, and pipes are made up of wood. For any single instrument, several different species are used; For instance, in the case of violins, the back, neck, and ribs are made up of Sycamore wood, maple wood is used for the bridge, Swiss pine for the belly and table while chinrest is made up of rosewood and ebony. The same goes for other instruments like guitars and the combined vibration of all those wood transforms into beautiful musical notes.

#9. Wood is used to manufacture sporting equipment

Not only known for their wonderful appearance, but wooden games are also great when it comes to their eco-friendly nature and durability through the ages. Many sports items are made from wooden materials including a cricket bat, hockey, chess, wooden puzzle, etc. Replacing plastics with wood creates a healthy environment and is beneficial to the atmosphere, while its long-lasting characteristic makes it more antique too.

#10. Wood is used in the making of charcoal

Charcoal is produced by burning wood in a low oxygen environment to remove moisture and other volatile elements. Traditionally, wood was piled up in small quantities, set on fire, and finally covered with dirt to allow very little oxygen, ensuring a long and slow burn. In more technologically advanced societies, industrial equipment is used to produce high-quality charcoal. Charcoal thus made has been playing a significant role throughout history, being used for writing, drawing, smelting metals, gunpowder, medicine, skincare and creating glass.

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