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Hi Keith, Figures on refuse flows show approximately the same amount of lumber going into landfill as is produced and used. The figures I have are for CCA treated lumber. One would expect similar figures for untreated lumber. Decay in landfill sites is active. Gases are either vented or burned to create electrical energy. Either way the CO2 is released. Storage in built environment (houses etc) is typically only of the order of decades; the proportion of wood in building is relatively small in developed countries; and creation of joinery and furniture timber is relatively inefficient and with significant CO2 laden waste streams. One friend who was a manager of a cabinet making works suggested their main output was sawdust - the beautiful furniture happened as a by-product. The CO2 neutrality of wood can, however, also be seen as a blessing where electricity can be created from wood burned in a tightly engineered environment without releasing high levels of toxic chemicals. In that case, growing and burning wood offers a relatively efficient solar conversion process to electricity. I thought everyone was into coal over your way? Best regards, Terry -----Original Message----- From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Keith Russell Sent: Friday, 31 August 2007 6:31 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: dying trees Dear Terry It might be OK to say that in their slow dying trees give off the carbon they have collected in one way or another. But, most fallen timber is not dead, it simply isn't growing. Burying the trees, for example, can lock most of the carbon up and the small amount given off is mostly held by the soil. The 75 year old timbers in my house have held most of their carbon quite well for the 100 years since the trees started. They could keep doing that quite well for another 100 years and then get buried and so on. cheers keith