June 27, 2025 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) –
A roundup of recent trends pitting technology against the printed word:
Trees: Study shows burying wood debris from managed forests lowers global temperatures
Managed forests are touted for absorbing carbon from the atmosphere, and a new Cornell University study has uncovered a way to make them even more sustainable. Researchers found that burying wood debris left behind by logging in managed forests could remove 770-937 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over 76 years, lowering global temperatures by up to 0.76 degrees Fahrenheit. The practice of burying branches, logs and sawmill offcuts two meters deep can lock away carbon for centuries because soil’s low oxygen prevents decomposition. In contrast, wood debris is typically burned or left behind to decompose, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If the US buried 66% of wood debris from its managed forests, net-zero emissions could be achieved by 2050, according to a June 25 university release. Researchers are testing orchard sites in New York to validate the approach and explore broader applications on farms and campuses.
Trees: Wood-based hot-glue adhesive could be ‘transformative’ for plywood
Most industrial adhesives derive from fossil fuels, but a new wood-based innovation could offer a better alternative in both sustainability and bonding strength. Researchers at Beijing Forestry University have created a bio-based hot-melt adhesive (HMA) from a wood pulp byproduct called xylan, which has been shown to outperform petroleum-based adhesives when bonding woodchips, Phys.org reported June 6. The HMA can also be reheated and reused over 10 cycles without any strength loss, while retaining adhesion at cold temperatures as low as 25 degrees Celsius below zero. Since plywood is among the last remaining products to rely on chemicals like phenol and formaldehyde, scaling up this adhesive “could be transformative,” said Nick Aldred, a University of Essex researcher who was not part of the study, Wood Central reported June 6.
Trees: Zeya develops cellulose-based ‘scent cards’ for 90s-inspired diffuser
Fans of the ‘90s might get a nostalgic kick from fragrance brand Zeya’s portable diffuser, which lets users insert a cellulose “scent card” into a device—much like a floppy disk into a computer. The small battery-powered device employs an internal fan to disperse the fragrance through these cards, which feature scents like grapefruit, blackberry, amber and mint. Each FSC-certified card lasts up to 45 days, and can be recycled or composted when it’s used up, Dezeen reported June 9. For future designs, Zeya founder Aimee Blank would like to re-engineer the device to be rechargeable and to allow users to switch out the cards before the scent fades.
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