I've made no secret of the absurdity (and the hypocrisy, in my opinion) of opposing fossil fuel production in this country, while supporting the policies that require us to import fossil fuels from other places. In fact, I've described those policies the height of duplicity, and I still stand by that, mostly. I say mostly, because I've just learned that we do the exact same thing with lumber. Our reliance on wood is extraordinary, and we're blessed to live in a country with over 800 million acres of forest. That's literally a third of America, covered in trees. Unfortunately, we act as if forest land and timber reserves are in short supply. In fact, we import more wood products than any other nation. What the hell is wrong with us? Why are we letting our forests burn and rot at record levels? Why aren't we instead, harvesting the timber we so desperately need, and exporting the surplus? Why are we not "wood independent"?

Mike Albrecht has some answers, and I think you'll find those answers illuminating. He's the president of the American Loggers Council, and he knows what he's talking about. Enjoy!