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A counterpoint: Ikea is effectively performing carbon sequestration. They plan fast-growing pine trees. Those trees remove carbon dioxide from the air. They ch
by GlennS 9y ago
A counterpoint: Ikea is effectively performing carbon sequestration.
They plan fast-growing pine trees. Those trees remove carbon dioxide from the air. They chop down the trees and make furniture. The carbon is now locked up in that furniture. If they furniture goes into a landfill, that carbon could stay there for decades (or more?). Then, they plant some more trees.
I don't actually know whether building lots of cheap furniture is actually better for climate change compared to building small quantities of durable furniture.
But it's an interesting thought experiment and a reminder to check your facts and do your sums before spouting off.
- ptaipale 9y agoI'd say that the emissions from logistics (transport) may be quite significant compared to the CO2 stored into the materials, at least post-sales. Take a desk that contains 30 kg of wood material. 50 % of that is carbon, so there is 15 kg of carbon in it, corresponding to 60 kg of CO2, which is emitted by driving 400 km with a medium-sized car (150 g/km). That much is first contained by the material (even in landfill), and eventually released back to atmosphere. At least you shouldn't do a lot of transporting this desk back and forth. IKEAs logistics from manufacture to store is remarkably efficient.