Introduction
Nowadays, many people do not find it necessary to pay much attention to wood and recognize its role in the world. However, wood is not only an important commodity that everyone can use but a significant natural resource that has to be stored and respected. It plays a prominent role in human life throughout history. At this moment, about 245 countries use 55 different food products (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016).
For example, India and China are the two greatest food producers and consumers where a large area remains under forests, and the United States has reduced its exports considerably (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016). Despite the intention to use wood in a variety of ways without thinking about consequences, wood has to be considered as a helpful natural resource with many positive impacts on the environment, human health, and well-being.
Positive Impact on the Environment
Wood as a renewable resource has a positive impact on the environment. In today’s world, “green” business gains recognition as compared to concrete and steel, wood helps to enlarge energy efficiency and minimize energy consumption (American Forest Foundation, n.d.). In addition, such important forms of fuel like fossil fuels cannot be renewed, and they may eventually run out and become unavailable to people.
Other achievements like petrochemical-based plastics are frequently used as good alternatives to wood, but this material is also not renewable (“Wood and wood products,” 2002). Finally, the conversion of wood products requires a lower level of energy and pollution volumes than those of plastic or steel products creation (“Wood and wood products,” 2002). People cannot predict and control their petrochemical-based resources, and wood is a resource that may be renewed with time.
Reduction of waste and pollution is another important benefit of wood as a natural building material in the environment. Pollutants may be of different forms and challenge the ecosystem in a variety of ways (Rinkesh, n.d.). Global warming, an increased number of diseases, and the quality of life are not the only evident outcomes of human civilization and modernization. People succeed in industrial and technological development without noticing how harmful their actions are to air, water, and soil.
Air pollution occurs due to smoke from chimneys and factories (Rinkesh, n.d.). Water pollution includes industrial waste and severe contamination (Rinkesh, n.d.). From this perspective, wood waste is organic, and its utilization can be helpful to the environment. It is impossible to avoid or reduce the amount of waste from wood production. However, new outcomes are associated with waste because of wood. For example, people may employ leftovers as fuel to produce energy and wood ash as an effective soil fertilizer.
Many modern building materials contribute to the greenhouse effect, and wood is the one that does not. One should be interested in why wood products’ production, implementation, burning, or storage is not considered a direct threat to the environment. The point is that responsibly sourced wood remains a renewable building material and a natural source that can remove the level of carbon from the air (“The benefits of wood,” n.d.).
Compared to other building materials, wood products have a lower carbon footprint and remain an appropriate alternative to substitute fossil fuels (“The benefits of wood,” n.d.). Trees are necessary to sustain a natural balance in the environment, as well as important for human progress. Therefore, people must use this resource wisely and think about the consequences of their decisions and relationships with nature. It is evident that wood may help the environment in several important ways, and its role in climate change cannot be ignored.
Wood in Everyday Life
Not long ago, people tried to do everything possible to get rid of wood constructions and use bricks or steel to strengthen their buildings and improve their statuses. Nowadays, fashion changes its direction, and it becomes interesting and beneficial to have wood products at home, school, or work due to its effects on health and well-being. The natural environment is one of the major contributors to positive health outcomes like stabilized blood pressure, reduced aggression, stress control (“Health & well-being,” n.d.). In addition, it turns out to be easy to incorporate nature into a building project and add the required number of elements made from wood (“Health & well-being,” n.d.).
Many users of this material in their homes believe that their choices prove their respect for nature and protect their health. Comfort and health are enhanced in human lives along with wood products and architectural approaches. As a result, inhabitants of wooden-made houses demonstrate a possibility to lower blood pressure, normalize their heart rates, and avoid stress-associated problems.
Wood is a natural resource that can be used by people to find out the necessary protection and establish a barrier between the heat, cold, and appropriate living conditions for humans. As a natural insulator, wood promotes warmth and thermal stability (“Health & well-being,” n.d.).
The investigations by the US Environmental Protection Agency (as cited in “Health & well-being,” n.d.) show that approximately 90% of Americans spend their time indoors, including their homes, workplaces, schools, and other buildings. It means that the quality of the material and the temperature within play an important role in human health. Wood does not harm but improves health, and its implementation in modern buildings is a solution with several benefits to protect people physically and emotionally.
Numerous people’s attempts are directed to the improvement of their health and avoidance of various irritants. Many investigations prove that visible wood lowers stress, improves health, and becomes an economically advantageous building selection (“Health & well-being,” n.d.). The immune system of a person undergoes considerable changes and challenges because of the inability to control blood pressure and heart rate. Therefore, such problems as a lack of focus, low productivity, bad task performance, and health decline are observed in modern people (“Health & well-being,” n.d.). Wood and its associated thermal, physical, and emotional comfort help humans in several ways, including vital signs control.
Conclusion
In total, it is true that wood plays a significant role in human lives and supports the environment. In this essay, attention was paid to several important properties of wood. Firstly, it is a renewable source that reduces waste and controls pollution. Secondly, wood is a building material that removes barriers between nature and humanity. Finally, wood is a contributor to human health, emotional well-being, stress controller, and vital signs stabilizer. The benefits of wood and forests in the environment, human health, and well-being may vary, but the essence remains the same – wood products have to be produced and used as building and industrial alternatives in various spheres of life.
References
- American Forest Foundation. (n.d.). Wood: A good choice for energy efficiency and the environment. Web.
- The benefits of wood. (n.d.). Web.
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2016). Global forest products: Facts and figures. Web.
- Health & well-being. (n.d.). Web.
- Rinkesh. (n.d.). What is pollution?
- Wood and wood products. (2002). Web.