Next time you're throwing away lumber from a renovation project, consider this!

A seedling grows in a forest for 40, 60 or even as long as 150 years. Then one day, this mature tree gets cut down and is split and sized for lumber. This lumber is used in the construction of a house, a high-rise, a dollhouse or furniture, where it sits for another 5 to 500 years.

Then it's time to renovate and it's "out with the old and in with the new."

But consider for a moment the long and arduous journey this wood has taken to end up merely as garbage. Consider also, that construction debris often makes up 25 % of landfill waste.

Now look again at the wood you were going to toss away! It may be a bit tattered and the bright white luster of freshly-cut timber is gone, but it's stronger than ever. In fact, now it's even strong enough to bend nails! And, if you get up really close, you can still faintly smell the rich aroma of the forest where this once mighty tree grew.

So next time you're renovating, think about giving those old planks a "new leaf on life." It's a great way to ensure that our forests will still be around to enjoy for generations to come.