“When it comes to selecting materials for your home deck project, you want something that matches the style of your home and falls within your budget. You also want to know that your choice is one that is a good one for the planet, too – and not just your checkbook.”

Source: www.woodnaturally.com

Wood Decks and the Environment

We’ve talked about how building a deck with Southern Yellow Pine is a smart choice: it’s got a high return on investment, it’s affordable, durable, and, of course, beautiful. It’s also an environmentally sound choice, especially when compared to decks built with composite or plastic materials.

That’s because it’s renewable…meaning, new trees grow in place of the ones milled for lumber and other wood products. In fact, the volume of wood is approximately 25% greater than it was in the 1970s.

Tree growth is also an important component in the removal of carbon dioxide from the environment.  It also takes less energy, less fossil fuel, and less water than composite.hen

Locally Grown

The SYP used to build your deck could also very well be a locally grown product. This is especially true if you live in the Southeast US, from Virginia south to Florida and west to Texas. There are Southern Yellow Pine sawmills dotting the landscape throughout this part of the country and there’s a good chance your boards originated at one of these mills.

More Info

Wood, Naturally put together a post about why building a deck with wood is a better environmental choice than composite. The main reasons: lumber is sustainable, renewable, recyclable, and local. Check out the story to learn more.

Sources:

http://www.slma.org/stats_us.shtml

http://preservedwood.org/portals/0/documents/LCA_ACQLumber.pdf