A Lifelong Romance
There is a wonderful book called, 'A Forest Journey' by John Perlin, which takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the past five thousand years showing the relationship between the rise and fall of civilizations and their use of wood.
Before other modern energy forms such as coal, gas or nuclear fission, wood was the only source of fuel for man's energy needs. If for some reason we had to revert to burning wood as our sole source of energy, all the wood on the planet would be burnt in less than a week.
Even with the lower populations of the past, why didn't the world run out of fuel? Well Perlin believes that some civilizations such as the Maya, did run out of wood, leading to land degradation, collapse of the food supply and cultural extinction. Others civilisations, such as the Sumerian and Minoan, were so damaged by deforestation that their economies and societies declined, leaving them exposed to famine, disorder or invasion.
There is an enormous worldwide debate about the current state of forests and the effect of non-stop deforestation on the environment and the possible impact on our global civilisation. This is a debate that I follow closely.
Closer to home, I'm curious about the diminishing awareness of wood in our society. Most people would struggle to name more than two trees or to identify the types of wood visible in their houses, let alone the invisible timber that holds up 80% of all the dwellings on earth.
I'll assume that if you're reading this you have an interest in wood, so you won't be bored by this concept that I included in a radio commercial we did years ago.
It went something like this. "Imagine a material so technologically advanced that it is self generating, infinitely renewable, requires no attention, maintenance or capital investment, comes in thousands of varieties, has almost infinite uses and is produced in the world's largest factory whose pollution control is so effective that the only by-product is oxygen. ......No it's not something from a science fiction, its wood."
Well hot-diggity-dog what more could you want! My goal has always been, and will always remain, to help my fellow humans fall in love with wood, because the more they do, the more likely we are to look after it.
A romance with wood will reward us all.
"... The furniture was delivered yesterday and we are very very happy about it. I love to look at it and to feel it, and as it is in an open area, I pass it many times in a day and feel pleasure each time ..."
- Edith Hocking
Our extensive range of solid timber furniture and soft furnishings includes Dining Tables, Chairs, Lounge Suites, Cabinets, Mirrors, Bookcases, Sofas and Chairs. It's all on display right now in our furniture section.
Nicholas Dattner & Co are proud sponsors of Landcare Australia.