Promote Durable Wood Products (AFW Action 1.3)

Create a program to develop a market for durable wood products. When wood is used to make products that have lasting value and are held for long periods of time, carbon is stored and not released into the atmosphere. Consumers often have a choice between a product made from petroleum or mineral base and one made from wood. The purchase decision is often formed around price and a short-term, throw-away mentality. An effective education campaign could be mounted to change consumer thinking that favors durable wood products over other materials when buying homes, building materials, furniture, and other accoutrements of modern living. Durable wood products are often more economical in the long run – if not initially – and, unlike petroleum- or mineral-based products, are environmentally sustainable. The proposed program would provide additional benefits to New Hampshire's economy while improving product manufacturing and transportation efficiency.