| Recycling began in ancient times before written | | | | opt for materials that can be recovered and reused, |
| records were kept. Studies show that since time | | | | like screws, bolts, dowels, etc. Recycling wooden |
| immemorial, our ancestors re-used anything that had | | | | products will help in reducing the pressure on our |
| purpose to them. During those days, large trees | | | | already depleting forest resources. |
| were felled to make tools and ornaments. Once | | | | The Three R's of Recycling |
| rendered useless those tools were used for different | | | | We should focus on considering the three R's, i.e. |
| alternative uses and lastly the wood was used for | | | | recycled, reused and reduce. The need of the hour is |
| fire. Our Ancestors' made or grew everything they | | | | to focus on strategies that would minimize pollution |
| used as there was no giant discount store down the | | | | and conserve energy, as the entire process of |
| street where they could just buy what they needed. | | | | recycling involves use of considerable amounts of |
| By necessity they were expert in recycling and | | | | electricity and causes further pollution. One area that |
| reusing these same tools to perform different tasks | | | | is suitable for recycling of wood is found in the box |
| as their basic survival as a species demanded it. | | | | springs from our beds that we discard to our landfills. |
| The world population at that time was sparse and | | | | Many box springs have wooden frames which can be |
| the virgin forests natural resources were so plentiful | | | | reused as dimensional lumber, recycled as an energy |
| that our Ancestor needed to merely live in harmony | | | | source just as our Ancestors' did by burning the |
| with nature and nature replenished the trees in what | | | | scrap wood in fuel pellet form, or giving the wood |
| was sometimes called the wilderness. With time, | | | | back to Nature as mulch. |
| human populations grew to where human needs | | | | Until now, no item has perfectly replaced wood as |
| began to diminish the basic area of natural resources | | | | they are either too fragile or rust easily. |
| as man's desires became more and more pressing for | | | | Our best strategy is to reclaim and reuse wooden |
| food and shelter. Forests were cut to provide | | | | products and pass wooden resources onto the next |
| farmlands to feed the people and the lumber was in | | | | generation reducing the burden on Nature's forests. |
| a large part consumed to build housing. Along with | | | | In addition to the three R's, reduce, reuse and |
| meeting everyday requirements, these natural | | | | recycle, the incorporation of reclaim as the fourth R, |
| resources especially wood came to be decorated into | | | | can contribute significantly not only to the community |
| more intricate and artistic creations raising man's | | | | but to the protection and conservation of our natural |
| demand for wood products even higher. | | | | forests as well. In man's demand for housing, one |
| Origin Of Recycling | | | | large source of wood reclamation is found in what |
| It was in this balanced atmosphere between man and | | | | environmentalists call de-construction. De-construction |
| the ability of Nature to replenish itself, that ideas and | | | | is taking an old house down and then reforming the |
| creativity flourished. The knowledge to recycle and | | | | lumber into updated styles of homes which |
| reuse broken pieces of wood to make new products | | | | consumers really want and is a true reclamation |
| came into play. Until the advent of plastic, forest | | | | valuable benefit of wood's flexibility. Compare this to |
| resources were considered the most versatile of | | | | the value of the bull dozer razed structure lying in |
| mediums that could be used and reused. | | | | splintered pieces being loaded by a front loader into a |
| Today, we look for alternatives for wood , as it is | | | | dump truck for hauling and disposal at the local landfill. |
| scarce. Rising environmental threats are pushing us to | | | | Ask yourself, "What is the value of that? |