Monthly Newsletter...Vice President’s Message:March 2010 For woodturners turning green used to have just one meaning, using freshly cut wood with a high moisture content. Green is now a buzz word for the environmental movement and for conservation of natural resources; air, water, animals, and of course trees. I’ve long preferred to work green whenever possible, this includes using green wood, using primarily local woods, using them efficiently to minimize waste, and ensuring that any waste generated is disposed of properly. The majority of the woods I use are sourced locally and come from trees damaged in storms, from trees being cleared from land in new housing developments, from arborists and tree trimmers, or from road expansion projects. To use the wood efficiently I use a coring system whenever possible so that I get multiple bowls from a single piece of wood. A 12” diameter log cut 12” long will typically yield 6 bowls, 3 from each half of the log. Any waste generated during the turning process is then disposed of properly, fortunately this is easy for me because my city offers a yard waste collection service for a nominal monthly fee. They provided me with a large green barrel that it picked up once a week along with my normal recycling bin. This green waste is then composted rather than taking up space in a landfill. We have a responsibility to ensure that the woods we use and enjoy today will be around in the future, this is particularly important in those instances where we use uncommon or endangered woods. In the use of such woods every effort should be made to ensure that they have been harvested in an environmentally sound and sustainable way. We owe it not only to ourselves but also to the next generation of woodturners. Jason Clark February 2010 Newletter January 2010 Newletter December 2009 Newletter November 2009 Newletter October 2009 Newletter Arizona Woodturners Association © 2009 |