Rare Earth

Can We Build a Better World with Wood?

Feb 2, 2024

Can wood replace concrete and steel in construction? Experts discuss the benefits of Cross-Laminated Timber and its potential for tall buildings. Debate on the environmental impact of using wood as a building material and the importance of sustainable forestry practices. Exploring biodiversity, Aboriginal land management, and the charismatic megafauna vs. invasive species debate.

53:52

Creator website

Episode guests

Michael Ramage

Tim Searchinger

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Cross-Laminated Timber enables versatile wooden construction for sustainable buildings.

Logging for construction may have high carbon costs, raising environmental concerns.

Balancing timber production with conservation efforts requires nuanced, multi-benefit forestry management strategies.

Deep dives

The Debate on Forest Management Strategies

The podcast delves into the ongoing debate surrounding forest management strategies, particularly focusing on the environmental impact of logging and the challenges faced in balancing timber production and conservation. It highlights the collaboration between conservationists and loggers to develop sustainable logging practices that minimize deforestation and protect biodiversity.

Introduction

2min

Embracing Wood: From Love to Engineering

15min

Exploring Wood Strength and Potential for Tall Buildings

2min

Exploring the Strength of Cross-Laminated Timber in Construction

4min

Wood as a Building Material: Climate Benefits and Sustainability Concerns

15min

Maximizing Biodiversity through Edge Effects and Aboriginal Land Management

4min

Sustainable Forestry Practices and Environmental Impact

11min

Exploring Charismatic Megafauna and Invasive Species Debate

2min

From the emotional balm of a walk in the woods to the first wooden skyscrapers, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask if we can replace a world of concrete and steel with a wooden utopia. Will the Wood Age be healthier for us and for the planet?

Michael Ramage of Cambridge University explains how the development of Cross-Laminated Timber makes it possible to build pretty much any building with wood while Tim Searchinger of Princeton University argues that turning forests into construction material has a high carbon cost for the planet.

Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University

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Rare Earth

Can We Build a Better World with Wood?

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Debate on Forest Management Strategies

The Complex Relationship Between Trees and Carbon Storage

Regeneration and Selective Cutting in Forestry

Legislative Efforts and Accountability in Forestry Practices

Balancing Timber Production with Conservation

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts