Trex is one of the most environment unfriendly products ever foisted on the public.
It is dangerously slippery when wet, gets unbearably hot and does not wear as well as actual wood. It has no inherent structural qualities, meaning that the underpinning need to be much heavier than normal, especially in boardwalk use, as if flexes much more than actual wood. Also the expansion and contraction rates are greater than actual wood, which is problematic unless expensive fastening devices are used, rather than the traditional screws or nails.
Recycled wood lumber and salvaged lumber, along with native US species, such as the aforementioned black locust, are much better alternatives and available at a much lower price. Trex and other synthetic planking are two thirds more expensive then actual wood.

How not surprising, the Sierra Club and Jeffie Tittle raise objections. Who cares?

And SOG wins for the Oscar for best drama in propaganda saying “Trex is one of the most environment unfriendly products ever foisted on the public." Excuse me but Mr. Environmentalist have you not heard of DDT? How would the environmentalist exist if they could not claim everything in the world is the worst?

Pundit, I was referring to Trex specifically as a "green" building material, which it most definitely is not. Save the pathos for someone who gives a flying one, ok?
I'm stating facts, not propaganda. The fellow in the picture at the top of the article if the propaganda spewer, not me.
sod off.

According to Jeff and every other green alarmist storms like Sandy will be happening every year. When the plastic wood gets broken up and washes out to sea then what? It will not break down like real wood. It will break up into tiny pieces of plastic that will be ingested by marine life. What's the matter with you, Jeff? Stop pushing that garbage.

Watch out! The Sierra Club now endorses civil disobedience!
Do as they say Avon or you'll find Jeff and his minions chained to your front door!

I'm in my 50's and as a kid in high school we were warned that the rainforest was being destroyed to the tune of something like a "bazillion" acres a second. It was crazy then...and it's crazy now. Wood is one of the most replenishable resources known to man. Weyerhauser, in fact, reforests in order to maintain the integrity and livelihood of its industry. It's sad when environmental cultists continue to spew gloom and doom agendas in order to promote radical political thought.

Thanks Jeff - I assume you expected the know-nothings to drag out the tired, long-discredited rebuttals you see here. I also assume that your readers who believe in science and math and reason, etc would see those comments, sigh, and move on. Don't mistake this for lack of agreement for your position: It is just that we live in the reality-based world and reality shows that no amount of facts, reason - proof, even, will have any effect on these dead-enders' position. The only thing that will change it is new instructions on where to stand coming from Fox, Rush, and the rest of the echo chamber's sound board. Commence the usual angry, stupid reaction, chamber zombies.

Uhhhhh (great name! Is that because its the sound you make a lot? .."uhhhhhh what?")
Speaking of math and science.. (uhhhhh what?.)..tell us how building a boardwalk causes hurricanes and global warming.
"Uhhhhhh well there's the sun ...and trees make shade so if...

Why are these responses so violent? We all live on the same planet. It is ourselves and our children we are protecting, the trees don't really care either way. Clearly, Jeff is not promoting Trex over other alternatives, he is just suggesting that we think about all alternatives. The responses here to his requests are a sign of a large amount ignorance in our community. Why is protecting the planet for our children always something people feel the need to poke fun at?

Bayboat - Case in point. Thanks

Jeff: go read the reviews of Trex online. There's one giant problem you did not address...mildew. It grows on Trex.

And if you are going to make statements about the growing and replanting of Ipe, you should include a link to a reputable source....something you are not.

FYI, Trex warps in the heat and can break in the extreme cold and does mold. Good product for decks and railings but would be a nightmare for a boardwalk and cost lots of $$ to repair and eventually replace. Rainforest's need not feel the stress. Our own west coast, Washington and Oregon logging industry is hurting since the 2008 recession. These states know how to log and how to replant forest. They been doing it for years and years. They really need the $$ and Americans need the work. My advise? Contact Warehauser direct. They can cut the timber thats already waiting and ready, cure, split, mill and ship. All that provides great work for the loggers, millers, train and truck shippers. It's a WIN/WIN. FYI: The trees there are huge if you are not already aware and you get lots of planks from 1 tree that was planted just to be harvested.

Read more: Does Trex Decking Get Hot in the Sun? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_12157811_trex-decking-hot-sun.html#ixzz2M16g7MBM

Direct Sun
"When it comes to heat retention, wood fares better than Trex, especially when the hot sun is beating down on the deck. While wood gets hot enough to make walking with bare feet uncomfortable, composite decking gets even hotter. In some cases, Trex can become so hot that it may become unusable under intense, direct sunlight. The darker the Trex decking material, the more heat is retained."

Sounds like a great product for boardwalk. No worries about direct sunlight there.
Probably feel like your walking on a frying pan.

it costs more to install the boardwalk than to purchase the product used to pave it. since ipe is known to last over 40 years, is practically inflammable compared to other products, and keeps its new appearance longer, it is the logical product to use in the rebuilding of any boardwalk. although ipe is initially more espensive, when it is priced out over its lifetime, it also is the most economical. check out boardwalks that have included ipe in part of their structure such as atlantic city, ocean city and wildwood. the ipe portions of the boardwalk are far superior in durability and appearance when compared to the sections that were build with othe products. if you want the best, ipe is the only choice.

Pathetic, "Climate Change" and. "Global warming" are myths! Cannot believe these shore towns are caving to these environmentalists. The climate conditions are cyclical not because humans are doing something to it or just that our planet is getting hot, and the water levels will rise, etc.
all these shore towns should should rebuild as they see fit. Those environmentalists weren't out these saying tear down the boardwalks they are raising our global temperature. This is nuts! Stop the political correctness is damaging our society.

Jennifer, you asked why some of these people get so violent and cannot just discuss this issue - well part of the problem is they have no real facts to discuss with - they are just kind of ignorant folks who cannot move on with progress, cannot listen to science obviously do not research their topic or probably ever read anything at all or watch science shows, etc. Put bluntly, they are not very bright people. Anyone calling climate change a "myth" then explaining that climate conditions change in the next sentence is pretty mixed up - and 99% of scientists believe in global warming and Mr Cyclical is not a scientist, is he? And he refers to this as "political correctness?" He doesn't even makie sense - so you have your answer. Not very bright at all

And small case vic - pays no attention to science and doesn't gether the facts and has no respect for the environment. After all, he is the person who wants to put bike paths all over the wetlands, until there are no wetlands left, because he apparently isn't happy with riding his bikie all over Ocean City, he wants to ride in the wetlands too. And we need our wetlands as they are vital to the entire eco-system. So small case vic, you are selfish guy - you want the wetlands, you want the rainforests - vic you want too much for yourself

i want to ride my bike on a path that is already there. what's wrong with that. jenine, you a just a typical "not in my backyarder" who uses the environment as an excuse to deprive other people of the wonders that you enjoy. you're just trying to keep people out of your neighborhood, but were not going to let you.

vic's claim about the cost-effectiveness of ipe relative to alternatives is patently false. The thing is he lives in Ocean City where that matter has been exhaustively researched and debated, so he either paid no attention, did but did not grasp the info, is misrepresenting it, or is misinterpretting it. What he is not doing is conveying the facts. The correct conclusion reached here by the current administration is that from a mechanical, aesthetic, environmental, and financial perspective - there are more cost-effective materials, including what is currently use here (yellow pine), newer treated yellow pine, other wood products, wood/plastic hybrids, and at least one recycled plastic (developed at Rutgers - name escapes me). Even when the environmental factor is removed from the equation, several more cost-effective alternatives remain. What vic does here is cling to a lost argument for whatever reason and perpetuate the conflict uncessarily.
Another problem wiht the (ridiculously unecessary and destructive and controversial) choice of ipe is that it is in extremely short supply. It appears that the supplier has BSd the town about availabitly - quantity and timetable. Last comment - the certified, carefully harvested, renewable pitch about ipe is fraudulant. It has been utterly discreditted.

Vic - Go take a ride on your bike in the wetlands. Please. Right now! Or even better, this evening during high tide.
Or perhaps you refer to the rail road berm. You know, the one the know-nothings insist could still have a train run on it. That's probably it. Even better. Take a ride on the berm. The maritime forest, wetlands, and tidal creeks that have overtaken it don't exist so no worries there. Go now, during low tide when the two forty foot wide breaches have four feet of water flowing through. You can ride along the completely intact rail bed unimpeded by the imaginary trees, bushes, marsh, and four foot deep, forty foot wide tidal creeks. That's if you get out there quickly. In a few hours you will have to ignore 10 feet of imaginary water. Take yourself up on your own claims. Ball don't lie.

vic's response to jenine it typical of the nitwit argument the anti-environmental flat earthers make. Rather than debate on the merits he makes the case based on some imagined motive of the environmentalists (NIMBYism, in this case). Keep relying on that weak gruel and you will continue your inevitable self-imposed marginalization to Crankland.

uhhh - BAM!

nothing sadder than watching ignorant people actually getting mad while defending their ignorance. there are things like the acia berry and tons of other fruits and plants in that rainforest that can have many times the amount of vitamin c as well as possibly even cures for things like cancer but we are cutting it all down because " i have spoken cant get their flip flops on over that big belly as they head to the boardwalk for another ice cream. i can only imagine if these same mental giants were alive years ago they would laugh at the thought of mold being used to create penicillin. i can hear bayboat now saying " how is mold going to cure my case of the clap?" this is all nonsense"

small case vic there is no path there in the wetlands, you silly!! It is just marshland but you may have a point about me wanting to keep you far away from my neighborhood And hate to tell you - you and your buddies have lost that battle anyway - its not happening - the wetlands, that are getting wetter daily with sea level rise (or do you dispute that too in all your wisdom?) are pretty much water logged so don't think you will have the opportunity to experience the wonders - but you could ride right down the streets along the wetlands, over the new bridge, etc. and experience the same wonders --- do you need someone to actally take you by the hand and show you that the wetlands are right in front of your face because Ocean City is a barrier island with wetlands alll over the place? - On West Avenue, on Haven Avenue, on 52nd Street, on Bay Avenue, the new bridge, I think you are just fooling with us anyway, I don't think you ride a bike. Most avid riders are pretty fit

many props to the avon by the sea council for standing up to the eco-taliban and making the right decision by choosing ipe to redeck their boardwalk.

when the likes of you - vic - are giving kudos to someone - they know they are deep down 100% wrong

can't wait to ride my bike on the new ipe boardwalk in avon by the sea.

bayboat - Good luck. If you succeed, your deck and brain will be made of the same material.

i redecked my dock with ipe and it's a far superior product compared to anything else on the market. best choice i could have made.

Has anyone given any thought to what shutting down the Ipe market will do to those countries whose livlihood depends on that product? Who are we to dictate what they should do with their natural resources. Sure, let's cause another country to revert to abject poverty. Maybe we can help them - but pulling the economic rug out from under them doesn't make sense. Again, idealism over free trade.

James - You make another long discreditted argument. And discreditted at multiple levels: 1) in brief: the impact on the indigenous people is devistating - villages destroyed, food sources eliminated, the entire way of life wrecked, etc...2) the lumber companies and brokers are the only parties enriched 3) protecting the rainforests is an entirely practical matter and not "idealism" and 4) cutting off demand for ipe is not evenly nearly related to matters of free trade (perhaps you just threw that in there because it reverberates in your gut-thought generating plant.

Do you really think cutting down the rainforest is helping the poverty stricken in those 3rd world countries? Absurd! Do you think the poor people prosper from this? And small case vic, why don't you go ride your bike in another town because obviously you are so bored with riding your bike in Ocean City that you need to ride thru the marshes for some wondrous experiences (could be dangerous) That would be wondrous alright - be sure and use your snorkel equipment because you will need it. And I don't believe that you are such an avid rider, because most avid bikers are nice and svelte - just saying.

Why not mill all the Oak trees that came down during Sandy?

How about relying on some facts instead of insults. Most of the Ipe comes from Northern Brazil. Over the past ten to fifteen years, the Brazilian government has enacted legislation and used government special agencies to severely crack down on illegal harvesting and cutting of Ipe, including harsh fines. Now, Ipe and other high density hardwood species are harvested in an eco-friendly manner using sustainable yield forestry practices. This information comes from IBAMA, SEMA and EMBRAPA , the three government agencies in Brazil that, among other things, monitor the logging activities for Ipe and other hardwood species.

TREX is the way to go. Our recycling centers are busting at the seams with plastic.
Don't tell me it gets hot because it doesn't get any hotter than the sand. I had the sole of a pair of sandals melt off last summer playing frisbee in Wildwood.

I don't trust the Brazilian government any more than I trust our own FDA. They are bought and paid for by big agra to make way for more beef.

Preach on Jeff. Not everybody in NJ is clueless

James - Well, I did rely on facts...until the end when I relied upon a conclusion based on your first post. Seems you have done some reading (perhaps since the initial post?). Unfortunately you have relied soley on corrupt sources - government agencies whose leadership is politically reliant on the lumber industry. Dispassionate third parties that have studied the industry, its economics, and cultural and environmental impacts agree that only the industry is enriched, the indiginous people's way of life is destroyed (including any sustainable food source), and that there is no effective sustainable harvasting of ipe. Dems duh facts.

As I read these comments, according to Jeff and his followers, regardless of facts to the contrary (and without citing any facts to support their positions), (1) the Brazillian government can't be trusted, (2) the U.S. government can't be trusted, (4) people who eat beef can't be trusted, and (4) anyone who posted here in favor of using Ipe can't be trusted or are liars. How convenient.

Don't understand the personal attacks, but whatever. Maybe you can cite the "dispassionate third parties" for the benefit of all the readers here (please include information supporting how "dispasionate" they are). How silly of any of us to do our own research, we should only rely on you and Jeff in the future. And why hasn't any one cited to sources to show how un-green plastic boardwalk material is?

Oh yes - Brazil is so known for its lack of corruption, as is most of South America. That is why there are super rich people and devastatingly poor people and nothing in between - because of the complete lack of corruption and the fact that the government is always looking out for the ittle guy. James - you is very naive

Why cite sources when you can simply call everyone from Brazil and South America drug lords, murderers, and rapists and, therefore, can't be trusted. Help us agree with you and Jeff. Janine, cite the "dispassionate" sources to convince us that it makes overwhelming fiscal sense to use something other than Ipe wood. All I hear are opinions and insults.

Im gonna try and find some "displaced indigenous people virgin rain forest extra carbon dioxide laden Ipe" for my deck.
I hear that makes the best boards..REAL soft on the feet, something about all the extra carbon dioxide

James: I don't see that anyone called Brazilians drug lords, murderers or rapist but it is pretty clear that there is a huge disparity between the rich and the poor in Brazil as well as most of South America and that harvesting ipe is detrimental to the environment and to the indigenous people and that you cannot really rely on the government to be honest when they are in bed with this industry and they are all making big money from it - I supposed you believed Dick Chaney when he said there were WMD in Iraq then escorted Haliburton into that country so they could get rich while people died. (there were no WMD - woops guess the US government lied to enrich their buddies) - so it happens everywhere - not just in Brazil. And if this is too much for you to comprehend or believe, it doesn't really matter one bit.

James - Here's the thing: I've been doing the reading on the topic for six years and have been intensely involved in controversies and debates during that time. I've advised groups on the issue. On this comment string, I have provided facts. Just facts. You have provided the following: An initial post that was a combination of anti-environmental pseudo-geopolitics, feau concern about foreign sovereignty, mislabelling of the rainforest advocates' purpose as ideological - it is in fact practical, misplaced concern about socio-economic effects of ipe harvesting (it devistates the indiginous people, it does not help them), and reference to free trade that came in from left field. Your second post reads like something you pulled out of the Flat-Earther entry into the Wickiepedia discussion of ipe. I understand that you will not take my word for it on what is the truth about ipe, its cost-effectiveness (here in the the U.S.), its socio-economic effects in the rainforest. So, if you want to know the facts, and not just information that supports what appears to be an inherent political bias, then find them. Do the reading. After doing the reading, if you would like to discuss what you discovered, let me know here and we can arrange to talk.

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! This guy is a paid lobbyist and is not a South Brunswick LOCAL voice!

Why is the Patch supporting this propaganda?

Tug - Who are you talking about?

He's not describing Sam, who does not take any compensation for his advocacy work. Besides, whoever he means (the Blogger here, perhaps), if he is a paid lobbyist, what's it have to do with whether the stuff he says is true or not?

And who is he a paid lobbyist for, exactly? The anti-ipe lobby? doesn't exist.

Still haven't seen any facts cited on the anti-Ipe position. It's just the same egotistical, liberal, take our word for it, we know better than all of you, and we'll shout you down position. Just cite objective facts - that's all any one can ask. And when Uhhh graduates the third-grade, maybe someone can help him understand. Funny, with an online name like that, I can see him very clearly too.

And you are not a pompous type of guy. --- know it all ---- smug. -- now are you, James? I don't see where you cited any facts here yourself. You are just slinging insults at so called " liberals " because they want to protect the environment and you totally discount that idea because you feel resentful and put out and like the world owes you so you will just take whatever you can. You deserve it. Life has been hard for you. Understood. Maybe you would like to go chop up some pie wood yourself and get rid of some of that anger. Or maybe you just keep flailing out here on the patch. You don't own any weapons do you? Hope not. Seems like you could go off any second
Nd

If Uhhhh is a third grader, then he's a comic genius.
James - so looks like you're not interested in doing the reading and having an informed discussion. If you change your mind, type rainforest contribution to global ecosystem, rainforest role in global economy, or ipe harvesting, or sustainable rainforest hardwood harvesting, impacts of ipe harvesting on local economies, impacts of ipe harvesting on local peoples, ipe controversy, etc...
These are inherently neutral topics for you to search. When you get to each search page, try your best not to cherry pick articles that appear to support your predisposition. Work really hard at shedding or at least blocking out your biases. You give yourself away as politically biased implicitly in your posts and explicitly in your last one. Try to work through that. If you succeed you will reach an informed conclusion, regardless of which side you come out on.

The New York Times reported in February 2012 that Jeff Tittle and his lobbying group took over $26 million in donations from people associated with a natural gas company Chesapeake Energy. And he is worried about a couple of 2x4s?

IPE is a tropical hardwood, and none of us have any idea where each board has come from. If you want to use it for your home, that's your right, but for a town to use it, they open themselves up to debates like this. But, composite decking, like trex gets hot, very hot, uses a lot of energy to produce, and boards that become damaged over the years cannot be replaced with ones that look the same. Composites are a bad idea. Rebuilding the boardwalks using domestically produced wood products is the best way. Pressure treated, redwood, cedar, thermally modified wood, you pick, but buy from America, or our friends up North.

I would love to see my home town of Ocean City's entire boardwalk to be made from Ipe. It is by far the best product for the job. That is indisputable.

Local4life - Thanks for the practical recommendation. I would add that there are cost-effective recycled products in addition to the lumber you mention (which is in short supply currently - in terms of availability of useable boardwalk planks).
Fluffer, I mean Duffer...well, I guess I really mean Fluffer: What is indisputable is that you think you said it is indisputable.

Tug - So what? What does it matter if he is a lobbyist? What bearing does his motive have on the merits of what he says? And who cares if he is not a "local voice"? Are you actually upset that The Patch characterizes him that way? What is their standard for qualification as a "local voice"? His blog appears all over the state. Even if it does not meet whatever the standard is, why do you care about that? I just don't get it.

Jeff....I mean Tiredolfprof...Since he is a PAID propagandist there should be a disclaimer on everything he posts. He should pay to post his special interest groups propaganda....I am sure the Patch could use the money.

Tired,
Patch presents itself as your local newspaper, online. "Your neighborhood, your news". Most, if not all others, who contribute something under local voices are just that. Someone from your area that has something to say about a topic that is important to them. Some local voices are from those who might have a business in your community and they offer an opinion or advice about something. They are usually very up front about who they are. Some "local voices" are published in many areas if the local editor thinks it could apply to their area or if they think it would INCREASE READERSHIP AND RESPONSES. Local editors don't care if many readers have a negative response as long as they log on to the site and respond. Their readership is up, more people see the advertisements, etc.
Jeff and all Patch editions are misleading. No where in his contributions does it say who he represents. It's no different than someone who is a paid lobbyist for nuclear industry posting something as your nice neighbor from down the street. Every week he comes up with a different spin as to why we should build a new plant on the other side of town.

I can now reveal that the Township shuttered the library branches to turn them into Ipe paneled clubs were men can sit in white rhino leather chairs admiring art work of off shore drilling while smoking Cuban cigars lit by former librarians using pages of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Drill baby, drill! Anyone who says otherwise is either misinformed, a liar, or in third grade with Uhhhhh.

Tug - I asure you I am not Jeff, unless the meds have created a distinct personality whom I am unaware of. Look, even if he is a paid lobbyist, what does motive have to do with the merits of his arguments? And, complaining about The Patch not meeting what you think are standards of journalism only goes so far. Why not address Jeff's message?
Jerseyswamp - I have good news for you! The Blog poster's biography is right there in plain sight on The Patch. But be warned - you have to make a tiny little effort at research and I do not know if you can manage that. If so, click on his name next to his picture at the top.

JUST PUT DOWN THE NEW BOARDWALK,WHO CARES WHAT KIND OF WOOD OR WHERE IS COMES FROM,JUST MAKE SURE IN=TS DONE PROPERLY,TO MANY TREE HUGGERS OUT THERE,

Jersey - Gotta say that is about the lamest response to being effectively rebutted I have seen in a while.

Right on Tug! Paid lobbist Jeff and his disciples are the ones claiming that shore towns who want to use Ipe are the Devil's own; yet, when challeged, the Enviro-Jeffsters steadfastly refuse to support their claims (like "Anybody who says they can sustainable harvest Ipe is lying.") They prefer to call people names. mjmjr has it right too! Ipe! Ipe! Ipe! Ipe!

Jeff may be a lobbiest but I have one question, why do you hate buying American made material? I love America, but maybe that's just me. Wether or not you believe IPE or other mahagony products are doing harm, why use it? We have options that don't need to include importing material. We can support ourselves and put people to work right here. Also, i read all these comments about belt tightening, need to right size this and that, fema is wasting all our money, IPE is the most expensive product you can use, it's made in a foreign country, it's probably not harvested properly, don't demand we import products than complain over the dinner table or in line at walmart that nothing is made here. Step up and act like adults.

Local4life - Good comment, well-played. You got the know-nothing flat-earthers squirming. How do they address this straight up without contradicting themselves? I predict they will ignore it, misplace its emphasis, make a circuitous and completely invalid case that they are innocent of what you posit, or some combination of these outcomes. Or they will just insult you and what they consider to be your ilk. I, for one, admire your ability to offer pragmatic approaches while disarming the righty ragers. See why I admire that about you....I cannot help but be agressive with these echo-chamber zombies. Your approach is more effective, at least hypothetically. The null hypothesis in this hypothetical is that none of them are dead-enders.

i love goobers like jerseyswamps and tugwalla with their " that jeff tittel he aint from round here . he's some kind of foreigner from new brunswick." actually tugwalla they are shipping the wood from south america they might as well import the labor too.

Captain - Correction: It's "ferners", not foreigners.

wildwood tried to use black walnut for their boardwalk but could not find any mill that would provide enough product, so they used iipe. they are extemely satisfied with their decision.

yes - we should follow the lead of those brilliant, judicious, practical yahoos in wildwood. nice work, vic, in making your case.

Ipe! Ipe! Ipe! Ipe! Ipe! Still waiting for the Enviro-Jeffsters to make their case with anything other than unsupported claims we're all "liars" and insults. Certainly we can agree that in America shore towns and any private citizen is free to make their own informed choice. Of course 'informed' means more than the "because I said so" of Jeff and the knee-jerk environmentalistas here.

James - You had your clock cleaned here so many times that the only thing working is the bell - and, man, is it ringing. No number of repetitions of your fake rebuttal will make your case any stronger or heal your wounded pride. The facts have been presented here. You can find plenty more by just doing a few minutes research on the web. Your listing acronyms of Brazialian agencies and summariziing their findings and then misapplying an America statute is weak and not nearly persuasive. Just do the research with your blinding right-wing anti-environmental ideology muted, and reach an informed conclusion.

James - Your position has been beaten to a pulp on this string. And your constant refrain that nobody has factually rebutted your assertions is, well, not factual at all. The facts are strewn throughout this comment train. Backing your claims by listing a handful of Brazilian government agencies' acronyms and misapplying The Lacy Act (it only works on the assumption that the source nation's assessment is reliable...that is why it is rarely invoked or applied) hardly establishes a position worthy of diligent rebuttal. As several people here have suggested, you should do some research. It is easily done by searching relevant topics in your browser. When you get to it though, you have to really suck it up and try like crazy to shed your partisan ideology. Not easily done, but you seem to be rather young, so there you may be able to pull it off. Good luck.

I made the case that IPE is a foreign product and I like to use American products when available, what else do you need? I spent all yesterday working on my somewhat destroyed house, how much time have you been spending on yours James?

Let’s try this again. Yes, it was widely reported that the 70s and 80s were unregulated times in Brazil’s rain forest. Also reported was that Brazil came under heavy international pressure to reduce deforestation. In 1988, IBAMA was tasked with creating environmental policy and integrated protection and conservation of natural resources. IBAMA requires tree harvest certifications to accompany all lumber from standing trees in Brazil to warehouses in the U.S. Certifications must accompany lumber at all times with the risk of confiscations and penalties for non compliance (see the Lacy Act too). Loggers must acquire harvest certifications which allow them to harvest limited trees from specified areas. Additionally, satellite surveillance is being used in logging to regulate harvesting. This technology allows forest certification groups like the Forest Stewardship Council, to identify and fight logging in non sustainable harvest areas. Severe penalties have been used to shut down mills.

James, poor boy, you are another young soul lost to the flat-earthers. Your last post is the essense of the long discreditted case made by the rainforest loggers and their enablers who benefit materially from them. Several posters here have politely suggested that you read all sides in this debate. It is not incumbant upon them to gather and supply the information that is abundantly and readily available a mere two keystrokes away. That your post is lifted straight from the tropical hardwood industry's website and include nothing from any other interested party us just one part of what is most troubling about your post(s). Another problem is that you accept it at face value, with no demonstrated interest in critical evaluation. For example, did it occur to you that the IBAMA may be corrupted the industry, that the certifications are bogus - an industry-ploy to provide fake legitimacy (The FSC is a textbook case of this sort of fake certification), that the agency conducting the surveillance is under the same influence as the IBAMA? Do the reading, son. Go to NGAs, science organizations and publications, peer-reviewed academic research, read their material and read it with a critical eye. I am not asking you to believe me. I, like many others here, are asking you to do comprehensive research and view it with an open mind.

The Ipe wood has proven to be an excellent source for boardwalks ie Wildwood, NJ in 2009, and too for so many reasons sited above. However, if the wood is not purchased from some approved oversight agency, whether its FSC or some other organization, then the gathering of the trees can be very detrimental to the last supply of world oxygen, the Amazon Rain Forest. These trees, from what I have read, grow only about two per acre in the wild. The poachers or illegal loggers of this wood damage thousands of acres for a small yield. The idea that artificial recycled board planks, made from plastics is a bad idea, because if the boardwalk blows down again the artificial wood pollutes the ocean, is ridiculous on so many levels it hardly needs a response. Read about the Pacific Gyre and the hundreds of square miles of plastic waste, which due to ocean currents have left a vast dead zone in the Pacific ocean from plastic (especially from non-recycled plastic). Think how much plastic you use everyday and then ask yourself how well you recycle all that you use. I am very conscious of plastic pollution, and I am far from perfect for properly disposing all the plastic I use. To see recycled plastic used in long range projects is a good thing. I have been on friend's decks made of these new materials, and they are fantastic and maintenance free.

Y'all be way off. We should be using gold bars to make the boardwalk. How much tax money do we pay in NJ to support the richies living in the shore towns. I'd like to see some of my tax money put to good use for once (ie gold bars for boardwalk planks)

Robert - The odds of the recycled plastic boardwalk "blowing down" and drifting off to sea and the amount that would float off are enormously unlikely and inconsequential given the certainty of the environmental benefits (which you acknowledge and even promote here) of using the recycled plastics.

jerseyswamps another bozo who is going to teach us something about " witch is it?" . try spending more time working on your reading and spelling skills.

Right - Jersey Swamp seemed to miss just about everything said and implied.

Why dun't yal learn me something"?
Plastic is bad. [Jeff said so. Must be true.] Why is plastic wood so much better than real wood? [Jeff said so. Must be true.]
Jeff also suggested we should not build on or near the shore because storms like Sandy are the new norm. Storms won't destroy plastic boardwalks?
What do you say? More insults?

Jeff wins, this post is still active.
Plastic is a horrible idea, looks fake, scratches, can't be replaced, gets hotter than hell.
IPE, my buy American didn't go far, how about a town not using the most expensive product on the market, fsc material adding at least another 25% to the bill. I agree it's beautiful, I sell the stuff, but there are better options for a town that has a lot of rebuilding to get done.

jerseyswamp person - no need to disparage you - you do a fine job of it yourself. But I will take part in the excercise in futiity which is "learning you something". 1. Every poster in general agreement with Jeff is not in absolute agreement with everything he wrote. 2. Jeff is not contradicting himself by simultaneously recommending alternative materials to ipe while suggesting that building and rebuilding new the water is not a good idea - he is simply recognizing the reality that we will continue to build by the water and recommending a good way to do so. 3. Jeff does not say plastic is better than wood - he lists plastic and wood products that are better....like Paul and Juan say, you are struggling with reading comprehension.

Nor do I disagree with everything Jeff and his ilk say. And I won't be as petty as some to point out your spelling/grammar witch [again, a joke, a play on words, etc.] I'm sure was not intended to be a joke by you.
Referring to his 8th. paragraph he says "plastic wood" [his words]. He lists the qualities of plastic wood. He says these qualities make it a better alternative to ipe wood. The same has to apply to all wood since the only difference and the argument here is that ipe is from a rain forest. He is indeed saying plastic wood is better than real wood.
Now your statement, ..." Jeff does not say plastic is better than wood - he lists plastic and wood products that are better". Talk about linguistic gymnastics. You have a future as crooked politician's press secretary.
I don't get it. I've asked several times, different ways. Perhaps it my poor reading comprehension? I missed a response?
If our boardwalks are going to be destroyed again by super storms shouldn't we use materials that are not ecologically harmful? That is real wood, not pie, but some kind of real wood instead of products that are largely plastic? Type s l o w l y for me.

Jersey...see first and last sentence of post above yours.

newsflash jersey swamps the wooden type of boarwalk you have a man crush on all washed away during the hurricane and of course your answer is " yeah wood now thats the way to go" . jerseyswamps you better check your living room for a carbon monoxide leak. its the only thing that could explain the way youre thinking.

Why not cement? Stamped concrete? You know the stuff made right here in NJ.

As usual, people drift off into name-calling and irrational hyperbole and forget about the topic. If anyone remembers the article it was to use or not use Ipe trees for the boardwalk. They certainly meet all the criteria for long-lasting, good boardwalk material. The problem, is the kind of money being spent can induce inscrutable loggers that will not care how much rainforest they destroy to get the wood to NJ. Yes. The Amazon rainforest is one of the last places on earth for endangered animals, plants (for medicine), and nature's production of oxygen. The problem with plastic is it so out of control around the world; trying anyway possible to reuse this indestructible carcinogenic substance should at least be considered.

Ron - Cement is an excellent option. The problem is that people have a strong emotional attachment to wood boardwalks and so are averse to one made of concrete. That same sentimentality is an impediment to getting plastic done even though some of the plastic products are fabricated to look exactly like wood.

Amy seems to hate America, but she has a love for china and South America. So she sympathizes with communism and socialism, strange. I wonder is she is also a friend of Hamas.

Boardwalks should be built out of wood, American wood. Pressure treated was fine for my grandparents and parents, its fine for me as well, conservatism rules the day!

there are a couple of problems with the above suggestions for decking boardwalks. the pressure treated system that most of us are familiar with is now prohibited. the new system is much less sustaining and not much better than using plain pine. while it can't be disputed that black walnut is a fabulous product and perfect for decking boardwalks, the mills are not able to provide enough quality boards to complete an entire boardwalk. ocean city has used both pine and ipe to deck it's boardwalk, as has atlantic city, and the ipe has held up so much better and looks so much better, that there is no compriion. several years ago when atlantic city suffered a fire on it's boardwalk, the pine section burned, but the ipe section suffered no damage. form your own judgement.

Old treatment process, cca is no longer allowed for decking, Vic's right, the pilings are still cca. Acq, the new of the new is a very good treatment. There was a treatment between these two, I forget that one. Acq treatment works very well and the cost is 1/4 IPE. The supports are always treated, so any fire will compromise the system, not sure about the AC fire. Thermally modified wood is a newer concept, you heat the wood to a temperature high enough that the sugers transform into a natural treatment, but not high enough to combust the wood. There are many options, I happen to sell all of them, including IPE, I believe we have options that are very good and don't require importing. I am simply against importing and try my best to buy American, we all should strive to support American manufacturing.

Jeff wins his only reason here is to promote his group . With out that he has nothing .So people Just dont reply to his posts... His column is pure Sierra club what the patch should do is make a Special interest group thread .But until they do just dont respond..Ideas are one thing ,Beliefs and religion another , But corporate agendas have no place in Local Voices .... StopTittelNow And dont respond to this !!!

Rebuild the boardwalk with All American "safe for today and everyday products only" pilling, supports, decking, bolts and nails/screws. Rebuild the boardwalk using an ALL American company paying All American taxes with ALL American labor only. Lets stop supporting/financing china, India, south america and etc.

Isolationism. Hey, if it works for North Korea - should work for us. For those history buffs out there, the US has tried isolationism and it failed. I guess no more bananas.

from the way james d money and proud go on about how much they dont believe in and actually hate science one can only guess they must have had their heads dunked in the toilet by the bullies in science class back in high school . jerseyswamps there is a petro chemical plastic blob the size of texas floating in the pacific and youre worried a plastic boardwalk might float away?. way to be on top of things there sparky.

What? Hate science? The only way the Environmentalistas make their argument is that you have to accept that all of the Brazililan people are corrupt, the Brazilian government is corrupt, the US goverment is corrupt, all the lumber mills are corrupt, all the retail lumber yards in the US are corrupt, and everyone who argues the contrary view are liars. Just read the article and this blog to confirm that. This ranks right up there with the Truthers conspirators! (How juvenile - it's D'Monquay.) StopTittelNow!