As an example of this, a 2004 study commissioned by the United Nations

Environment Program (UNEP) found that just five countries the United States,
UK, France, Germany, and Japan that together accounted for 10.2% of the
world population, consumed 28, 33, 40, 44, 45, 45, and 47%, respectively, of the
worlds iron, crude steel, zinc, tin, copper, aluminum, and nickel. Cement and
wood consumption on a per capita basis was also significantly greater.
Recently, the worlds second most populous country China until recently
classed as economically underdeveloped,
has begun to consume vast quantities of raw materials. Addition of China to the

list above would yield truly stunning consumption numbers.

The U.S. is today a net IMPORTER of most categories of industrial raw materials,
including metals, Portland and masonry cement, petroleum (the basis for

plastics), and wood and wood products.

More wood is consumed annually in the United States, on both a volume and

weight basis, than ALL metals and ALL types of plastics combined.
Per capita consumption of energy is also significantly higher than in several
nations often listed as offering a higher or comparable quality of life as in the

United States.
Carbon dioxide emissions in 2012 for China, the European Union, and the United States
were estimated at 9.9, 7.4, and 5.2 billion metric tons, respectively. Chinas per capita
CO2 emissions in that same year were 7.1 metric tons while emissions for the E.U. were
7.4 metric tons and those of the U.S. 16.4 metric tons. Consequently, Chinas per capita
CO2 emissions were less than one-half of those of the U.S. in 2012 (d).
About 12-13 million acres of forest are converted to non-forest uses annually,
primarily in the tropical regions where population growth is greatest. In some
areas of the world, such as the United States and in Europe, forest cover is

increasing.
There are 766 million acres of forests in the U.S. today, about 73% (a) of the 1.044 billion
acres of forests estimated to have covered what is now the United States in the year 1600.
In 1920 there were an estimated 732 million acres of forest covering the area that
now comprises the United States. Today there are 766 million acres of forest. The
current forested area is within one percent of the forest area of approximately 755
to 760 million acres that existed in 1907.
Net growth of forests in the United States substantially exceeds harvest. In the most
recent assessment of U.S. forest land (USDA-Forest Service, RPA Assessment 2012) net
growth was estimated to exceed removals by 105% (e) i.e. net growth is more than
double net removals. These figures do not include growth within areas designated as
parks, reserves, or wilderness areas. If growing on all lands were counted the net growth
figure would likely be higher than that indicated above.

In the process of photosynthesis, water from the ground is combined in the leaves
with carbon dioxide from the air to form glucose and other sugars, and oxygen
that is released to the atmosphere. The sugars are used to form wood.
One of the specifically stated reasons for establishment of the National Forests
was to ensure a continuous supply of wood for U.S. citizens.
Forests actually increased in area coverage in the United States between 1985
and 2012. However, a 2012 assessment of U.S. forests predicted that 2-5% of the
current area of forest land in the U.S. may be converted to non-forest uses by
2060.
There is no documented evidence of even one plant or animal species having
been driven to extinction by logging activity in the United States
Forest harvesting is not allowed in federally designated wilderness areas.
The United States is a net importer of about 25% of the softwood lumber
consumed annually within the country. When all products are considered,
including exports of logs, and chips, the U.S. is a net importer of about 9% of the
total wood and wood fiber consumed within its borders. Prior to the recent
recession, U.S. net imports of wood were 15-20% of domestic consumption. The
United States has been a net importer of wood for over 45 years.
In 2013 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 63.5 percent (c)
of all paper used in the United States was collected for reuse.
Recovered paper provided about 38.8 percent of the U.S. paper industry's fiber in 2013
(b). The difference between the wastepaper collection rate (63 percent) and the recovered
paper use rate (38 percent) is largely traceable to the fact that the United States is the
world's largest exporter of waste paper. Virtually all exported wastepaper is also used in
making paper and paperboard.
The vast majority of wood used for papermaking in the United States comes from
privately-owned forest land, two-thirds of which is in the Southeastern part of the
country. Should consumption of paper, and thus pulpwood, decline markedly
many forest owners are likely to convert their forested lands to agriculture or
some other non-forest use.
Well-documented environmental life cycle inventories of various raw materials
production processes conducted by research organizations around the world
show that wood products can be manufactured with relatively little environmental
impact compared to potential alternatives. Even when wood products are
compared to cement-based and recycled metal products, energy consumption
and associated environmental impacts associated with wood-based materials
manufacture are generally substantially lower.