These days we’re all fairly aware of deforestation and the need to protect our trees. We recycle paper, and many people choose reclaimed wood for their homes, for furniture, flooring and more.
However it wasn’t always so. Human beings as a race are not very good at using something conservatively unless it is running out. So for many years, decades and centuries we cut down our forests without thinking of the future impact.

During the second half of the twentieth century, countries started to pay attention to their forestry and spent time replanting trees and working towards a more sustainable wood industry. In 1992, the efforts became more formal. At the Rio “Earth Summit” the participating countries agreed on the Forest Principles, as a non-legally binding code of practice. The Principles stipulated many things, including that all countries should take part in the “greening of the world” the conservation and planting forests, and forests should be managed to meet the social, economic, cultural, ecological and spiritual needs of present and future generations. They afford countries the right to use their forests for economic and social development, but in a responsible way, and protect unique forests, such as particularly old or rare species.

This was 30 years ago, and over the past 3 decades there have been further developments. Many of the agreements and measures have yet to be implemented, due to challenges within countries and the realities of starting such projects. However more attention has been paid to the role of forests in society and within wider ecosystems. There is a wider green agenda of building a more sustainable economy and way of life, which has impacted our view of the good work forests do for the world.

Using reclaimed wood is one of the easiest ways to know you are helping lessen the environmental impact of your construction project!

Change is in the air, and it looks green! Host cities submit city planning and building proposals, promising sustainability and continued use of Olympic facilities after the Olympic flame has passed. But cities like Beijing and Montreal have failed to follow through with that promise. Many of the structures now sit vacant or are only occasionally used. The London Olympics have set a new precedent that will bolster the green movement around the globe. This Olympic building below is constructed from phthalate-free PVC, which is stretched over steel frames and plywood. The structures provide stability and eliminate the typical flapping associated with most other tents.

The basketball court (pictured right), shooting range and water polo building can all be disassembled upon completion of the Games. In fact, the shooting range will be transported to Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The London 2012 Games have made some pretty serious investments in green innovation. This infographic covers the highlights of their sustainability
More Reading

• http://mashable.com/2012/07/31/olympic-architecture/  (image courtesy of Mashable)
• London 2012 Olympic Games Serviced By Green Vehicle Fleet …
• https://www.opensesame.com/blog/opensesame-presents-green-olympics (infographic)

Portland, a leader in green building initiatives, requires new city-owned buildings and existing buildings in need of a roof replacement to install a green roof on at least 70% of the roof area.

Source: National Research Council, Institute for Research in Construction

In North America, the benefits of green roof technologies are poorly understood and the market remains immature, despite the efforts of several industry leaders. In Europe however, these technologies have become very well established. This has been the direct result of government legislative and financial support, at both the state and municipal level. Such support recognizes the many tangible and intangible public benefits of green roofs. This support has led to the creation of a vibrant, multi-million dollar market for green roof products and services in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland among others. read more at: http://www.greenroofs.org/index.php/about-green-roofs

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities’ annual survey of its corporate members found that the green roof industry in the U.S. and Canada increased 115% between 2010 and 2011. The annual growth rate is derived by averaging the square footage of green roofs installed by a representative sample of corporate members. read more at http://enr.construction.com/buildings/sustainability/2012/0709-10-largest-green-roofs.asp