Environmental Leader

With lumber and paper markets depressed, forest industry leaders are shifting focus to the production of renewable energy, writes Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business, Washington state’s chamber of commerce, on Columbian.com.

The housing slump and shift from paper-based to electronic storage and publishing is forcing foresters to look at alternative ways to provide jobs and find income.

Some companies plan to convert wood and paper waste into electricity by building plants that will burn wood wastes from their sawmill and black liquor from their pulping operation to fuel the power plant. Companies are leasing geothermal rights to forestland too.

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