Cedar
A tree native to mountainous regions from North America to Asia, cedar is known for its strong properties. There are many species of cedar but western red is commonly used for gardening purposes.
Pros
Cons
- Whilst native to areas outside of the UK, the species was introduced to Britain, planted in the UK for timber. British red cedar wood will be locally sourced and reduce emissions in terms of transport.
- Whilst some species of cedar are endanger, the western red cedar in Britain is not.
- The wood is durable and naturally resistant to fungi, due to natural preservatives.
- Cedar woods can be found FSC certified.
- The wood is usually reasonably priced.
- Imported red cedar tends to be more durable than locally sourced, but not by too much. Imports will also have more impact on the environment due to the amount they will travel.
- Cedar imported from non-certified sources and from abroad may have further environmental impacts, threatening habitats along with indigenous cultures.
Brick
Bricks
A versatile building material, the most common type of brick is made from clay. Depending on the composition of the clay used and other processes, bricks can come in a variety of colours.
Pros
Cons
- Clay bricks are strong, last a long period and are durable. They are also fire and waterproof and can be used for a variety of designs. (ref)
- Bricks will last a long time, not needing to be replaced. Bricks can also easily be reused. (ref)
- Clay manufacturing plants tend to be near the source, making it more eco friendly as less transport is needed, for European countries, at least. (ref)
- Other materials can be added to clay, such as sawdust, to reduce waste in other sectors. (ref)
- It can be sourced from the EU meaning environmental impact from transportation. (ref)
- Clay is a non renewable source, it will not grow back like a tree and will never truly be sustainable. (ref)
- Bricks are dried in a kiln, which can harm the environment through the power needed to do this. The land also needs to be altered in order to harvest clay. (ref)
- Kiln drying can be made more sustainable and less CO2 impactful, if renewable or gaseous fuels are used. (ref)
Brick Summary
A man-made material created from clay, it is durable and versatile, however, clay itself is not renewable, and eventually will run out, meaning clay will always be a limited resource. Kiln drying clay can also be costly for the environment as this can emit a lot of CO2 depending on the fuel type. Bricks can also be obtained rom the EU, where most factories are located to clay extraction which reduces the amount it needs to travel to be turns into bricks. This, and being relatively close to the UK, mean EU bricks can be sourced in a way which damages the environment as little as possible. However, the extra process of kiln drying may make natural stone like local Granite or Sandstone more favourable.
