The Weyerhaeuser Company reduced greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent in 2008 compared to its level in 2000, the forest products firm said in its latest sustainability report.

The company, whose lines of business range from paper and pulp products to building materials and real estate, has a goal of reducing GHG emissions from its operations 40 percent by 2020 using a 2000 baseline.

Weyerhaeuser's annual report, which is available online, highlights company performance involving sustainability issues and includes a detailed section on efforts to address climate change. The company says that work falls into seven categories:

• Managing forests sustainably
• Sequestering carbon
• Using more biomass energy
• Promoting green building
• Developing biofuels
• Increasing energy efficiency
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Results from those efforts in 2008 include:

• The company sequestered 8.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in its forests and products. The amount represents about five times more carbon dioxide than the firm directly emitted.

• On average, 75 percent of the energy the firm consumed came from renewable and carbon-neutral biomass fuels such as wood residuals and other organic byproducts.

• Energy efficiency measures taken at two new sawmills in the Pacific Northwest reduced annual electricity consumption by 15 million kWh and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 2,500 metric tons. The company also made energy efficiency upgrades at its technology center in corporate headquarters. The improvements are expected to reduce energy use by 5.5 percent annually. .

• The company's cellulose fibers mills reduced water use 10 percent. The firm has a goal of reducing water use 20 percent by 2012 using 2007 levels as a baseline.

• By the end of the year, more than 99 percent of the company products manufactured worldwide had been certified to sustainable forestry standards.

• The firm, whose forests in North America are certified by organizations with globally recognized standards for sustainable forest management, planted more than 100 million tree seedlings in the 21.9 million acres it manages worldwide.

• Weyerhaeuser and Chevron formed Catchlight Energy LLC, a joint venture that will research and develop technology for converting cellulose-based biomass into economical, low-carbon biofuels.

• The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lenzing, a global leader in cellulose staple fibers, to develop wood-based nonwoven fabrics.

Weyerhaeuser is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America and the S&P Carbon Efficient Index . Recent recognition of its efforts include being named as Storebrand SRI "Best in Class," included among the Corporate Responsibility Officers' 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2009 and being listed as Ethisphere World's Most Ethical Companies 2009.

In May, Weyerhaeuser's iLevel structural frame products became the first to receive the newly established Green Approved label from the National Home Builders Association Research Center.

The same month, the company announced that all 41 of its iLevel mills had been certified to standards maintained by Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. for fiber sourcing, or by SFI or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification standards for chain of custody.

_{Image courtesy of Weyerhaeuser.}