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https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-guitar-industrys-hidden-environmental-problem-and-the-people-trying-to-fix-it-159211>
"Musicians are often concerned about environmental problems, but entangled in
them through the materials used in their instruments. The guitar industry,
which uses rare woods from old-growth trees, has been a canary in the coal mine
— struggling with scandals over illegal logging, resource scarcity and new
environmental regulations related to trade in endangered species of trees.
We spent six years on the road tracing guitar-making across five continents,
looking at the timber used — known in the industry as tonewoods for their
acoustic qualities — and the industry’s environmental dilemmas. Our goal was to
start with the finished guitar and trace it to its origin places, people and
plants.
We first visited guitar factories in Australia, the United States, Japan and
China. There we observed materials and manufacturing techniques. From
factories, we visited the sawmills that supply them. And then we journeyed
further, to forests, witnessing the trees from which guitars are made.
Our task proved more complicated than imagined. At Martin Guitars alone, based
in the US, wood comes from countries on six continents and 30 different
vendors.
And the timber supply chains on which the guitar industry relies have been
secretive. Many sources of wood are from places with historical legacies of
environmental conflict, colonial violence and dispossession: spruces from the
Pacific Northwest; rosewoods from Brazil, Madagascar and India; mahogany from
Fiji and Central America.
We learnt about the guitar’s environmental footprint, while appreciating the
skills and experiences of behind-the-scenes people, and the capacities of the
forests and trees to adapt. And we saw how Australian guitar-makers, such as
Maton and Cole Clark, are leading the way in embracing sustainable options,
salvaging recycled wood, and sourcing native species from timber suppliers in
Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
