How Cambium Carbon Is Using Tech For Sustainable Wood For Climate Change

Cambium Carbon is a company that came up with an innovative approach to sustainable wood sourcing that plays a significant role in combating climate change.

They partner with local arborists and millers to rescue and upcycle the wood entering landfills. Their target wood is impacted by the four Ds: disease, decay, disaster, and development. This process creates a carbon negative material.

Mission and Vision

Cambium Carbon’s mission is to restore urban forests while creating local wood economies. By repurposing trees that would typically be discarded, the company not only reduces landfill waste but also generates revenue that can be reinvested into new tree planting initiatives. This dual approach tackles climate change by enhancing carbon sequestration and simultaneously creates jobs in communities that often lack green spaces

Their aim is to not just transform the material but to transform mindsets and buildings for the future.

Each year, a significant amount of wood waste is generated globally –

United States: Approximately 300 million tonnes of wood waste are produced annually, with an estimated 12 million tonnes ending up in landfills.
European Union: EU countries, along with Switzerland, generate around 60 million tonnes of wood waste each year.
United Kingdom: The UK specifically produces about 4.5 million tonnes of waste wood annually.

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How did Cambium Carbon start?

Cambium Carbon is owned and co-founded by Ben Christensen, Marisa Repka, and Theo Hooker. Cambium’s journey began in rural New Mexico, where a childhood steeped in woodworking and science sparked a passion for sustainable wood use and climate action. After recognizing the challenges of wood waste mismanagement, the idea for Cambium emerged in 2019 while observing imported firewood. The company was founded to create a reimagined supply chain that transforms local wood waste into valuable resources, reduces wasteful consumption, and supports urban regeneration. Rooted in personal history, Cambium is not just a business but a mission to combat climate change.

How do they convert Waste to Wood?

Waste : Carbon Smart Wood™ is salvaged from local waste streams, rather than harvested. Trees are Constantly removed as a result of disease, decay, disaster or development and sent to overflowing landfills.
Wood : Carbon Smart Wood™, ideal for all traditional lumber uses, is a net carbon sink, emitting seven times less CO2 than wood-plastic composites. Its widespread use could cut global emissions by 4%.
Trees : Carbon Smart Wood™ sales funnel 15% of profits into urban forest stewardship, funding tree planting and benefiting communities.

Achievements by Cambium Carbon’s Carbon Smart Wood

Cambium Carbon has received several awards and recognitions for its work in upcycling fallen urban trees and promoting sustainable practices:

J.M.K. Innovation Prize (2021) Cambium Carbon was awarded the 2021 J.M.K. Innovation Prize by The J.M. Kaplan Fund, which recognizes transformative, early-stage projects in social justice, the environment, and heritage conservation1. As an awardee, Cambium Carbon received $175,000 over three years and participated in a learning collaborative.
TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024 Cambium Carbon’s Carbon Smart Wood™ was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024.
Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas (2024) Carbon Smart Wood (Cambium Carbon) has been recognized by Fast Company on their 2024 list of World Changing Ideas.
NATSEC100 (2024) Cambium, described as an advanced materials innovator, was named one of the Top 100 venture-funded national security-focused and dual-use start-ups by the Silicon Valley Defense Group (SVDG) in its annual NATSEC100 report.
Nature Conservancy’s Natural Climate Solutions Accelerator Program The Arbor Day Foundation received a $200,000 award from the Nature Conservancy’s Natural Climate Solutions Accelerator program through support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to develop and launch Reforestation Hubs in partnership with Cambium Carbon.
Forbes 30 Under 30
World Economic Forum Uplink