Wood, the perfect material to replace single-use plastics
THEir images have gone viral on social media: turtles with plastic straws stuck in their nostrils; whales beached and dying, with plastic waste filling their bellies with poison; and other marine life trapped by improperly disposed plastic that has reached our oceans.
These horrific scenes have spurred many people to action. Today, there is growing support to ban single-use plastic products.
in its place, more people are choosing to use more sustainable materials. From reusable bags to replace plastic shopping bags to paper straws that are compostable and can be disposed of easily with little impact to our environment, people are making a responsible choice for the environment.
One of the most popular options for those who are looking for more environment-friendly materials is wood.
wood is a versatile material that can be made into various products. From wooden spoon and forks that are perfect for your next picnic to wooden toothbrushes, there are various products now available that can replace plastic products that you have come to rely upon.
“wood has been a trusted material since time immemorial,” Charlie Liu, chairman of the Philippine wood Producers Association (PwPA) said. “Now, people are realizing that wood is not only reliable as a building material, but also sustainable and flexible enough to be used in various applications, including eating utensils and various forms of packaging.”
wood is proven to be very sustainable. As it is naturally derived from trees, it has little impact on our environment and it retains the carbon it has absorbed over its lifetime, as long as it is not burned or allowed to decompose.
Another good thing is that it is strong enough to be used again and again, making it a wise investment. Many kitchen utensils today are made of wood, such as wooden spoons and ladles that are used for cooking. Not only are they “food-safe,” they also help prolong the life of nonstick pans as it does not scratch the coating.
in addition, micro-fibrillated cellulose, which can be derived from wood, is now being studied as a viable replacement to traditional sources of plastic, such as petroleum. Studies show that the material is resilient enough to be made into various types of packaging and safe enough to be used to pack food materials.
“wood is a promising material, and it is the perfect solution to many of the problems that we have with plastic today, that’s why we’re advocating for the wider usage of wood products. These products have been proven time and time again to be reliable and sustainable,” Liu said.
PwPA is an organization that is dedicated to the wider usage of wood. They believe that through sustainable forest management, the demand of our country for sustainable wooden products can be met while ensuring that the environment is protected from further degradation.
This can be done through sustainable wood farming where trees that are harvested are replaced with more seedlings that can sequester more carbon from the air.