From Butch Dalrymple Smith, La Ciotat, France
Over and over, we hear that one of the solutions to global warming is to plant trees (20 July, p 20). Certainly, these magnificent means of pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere are an essential part of our response to climate change.
But it is equally important to do something with the wood that is produced. Leaving trees to die, rot or burn returns the carbon to the atmosphere. If we build houses, furniture and boats out of wood, we not only lock all that carbon away for as long as the object exists, but also reduce the production of cement and plastics that have their own detrimental effects on the environment.
