Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a great way to address climate change, and using redwood is a great way to reduce carbon emissions.
As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through photosynthesis, the carbon gets stored in wood fibers in the tree’s roots, trunk and branches and the oxygen is released back to the air. The faster a tree grows, the more photosynthesis occurs and the more carbon is removed from the atmosphere. Since redwood is a fast-growing species, managed redwood forests excel at removing carbon from the atmosphere.
A redwood deck can store a half-ton of carbon.
When trees are harvested, the carbon they captured continues to be stored in the redwood decking, fencing and other wood products they become. In fact, wood is about half carbon by weight. Wood lasts a long time, keeping that carbon safely out of the atmosphere for years, and eventually can be recycled. Managed forests are regenerated, so more carbon is removed from the air by the newly planted trees, continuing a cycle of carbon removal and storage.
Using energy-efficient natural wood products that store carbon instead of energy-intensive manufactured products that release carbon can lower your carbon footprint.
