Ann Stinson

[In 2003 I was looking for a condo and a] realtor proudly pointed to beams made of steel, but imprinted with wood grain, explaining that no trees had been cut to construct the building. [30 years later] an article in the Chronicle titled, “Mass timber’s sustainability promise: Does it stack up?” quoted Beverly Law, a retired forestry professor at Oregon State University: “Protecting the surviving trees and new growth from logging is more important to the environment than any emission mitigation mass timber could provide.” It’s enough to make me bang my head on the ground. Wood from a sustainable managed forest is the key to a healthy earth and a healthy society. How much carbon does a tree absorb as it grows? Lots. How much carbon do concrete and steel absorb as they are processed? None. Less than none — the processes put lots of carbon into the air.