The founders of Cambium Carbon, CEO Ben Christensen and CFO Marisa Repka, explain how they salvage wood from the 36 million trees that fall each year in American cities to create a hyper-local lumber supply chain. Currently, most of those fallen trees are mulched, burned, or landfilled, all of which contributes to global warming. The company’s Carbon Smart Wood is sourced from downed trees — also referred to as “urban wood” — and it can be used in furniture and buildings in place of trees from clear-cutting operations. Even the sawdust could be used in 3D-printed wood. They also dedicate 15% of their revenue to replant new trees, which provides urban green cover that reduces heat island effects.
Cambium Carbon is a social enterprise that has organized an alternative, thoroughly tracked wood supply chain for designers, architects, and builders while helping to preserve local sawmills and the jobs they provide. Their Traece wood tracking system, which allows customers to learn where the wood in their home or office came from, enables a new level of accountability and storytelling in wood products. We also discuss the potential to apply their strategies to other commodities. And if you’re interested in working in the urban wood industry, they are hiring for 10 positions. Find out more about Cambium Carbon at cambiumcarbon.com.
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