Planet Ark have just launched their latest campaign, Make it Wood, encouraging the use of responsibly sourced wood as building material. Although many of us believe that cutting down trees is always bad for the environment (which is certainly the case when it comes to high conservation-value forests), wood sourced from responsibly managed plantations and forests can actually act as carbon stores. One great example of this in action is the Riley Classic Balsawood Surfboards made from the sustainably sourced Balsa wood. In addition to importing large quantities of Balsa, creator Mark Riley recovered huge amounts of Balsa following the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi in Queensland in 2011. In a further effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Balsawood Surfboards has even started growing its own Balsa trees in Cooktown.