Monika Griefahn

  • Home
  • Monika Griefahn
    • Dr. Monika Griefahn,
      Former Minister
    • Curriculum vitae (PDF)
    • Photos
    • References appointments
  • Volunteering
  • institute for media,
    environment, culture
    • Cradle to Cradle
  • Service
    • Archives German Parliament
    • Publications
    • References
    • Downloads
  • Blog
    • Politics
    • Culture
      and
      Media
    • Opinion
    • Cradle
      to
      Cradle
    • Right
      Livelihood
      Award
  • Contact
    • Site Notice/Imprint
    • Privacy Policy
  • Deutsch
You are here: Home / General Article / Trees don’t listen to McKinsey

25. May 2017 | Petra Reinken

Trees don’t listen to McKinsey


The Austrian Erwin Thoma is in his mid-fifties and a forester as well as an economist by trade. He owns a company that builds homes from solid wood – without any screws or glue. Thoma is also an author, and he has the following message: be like the spruce tree!

“The spruce is the least skilled tree there is”, Erwin Thoma said during an entertaining talk in Hollenstedt, which the local carpentry firm Holzbau Mojen had organised at the Weinkonzept winery in the town’s commercial district. Several hundred listeners came to learn more about the wonderful worlds of trees and solid wood construction. They also found out a little something about how they themselves could become a bit more like the spruce, the unskilled tree. “Spruce wood is flexible”, Thoma said. “The tree is rather narrow and its shallow roots leave room in the ground for others.” Still, the spruce has managed to assert itself virtually everywhere. “How is that possible?”

The answer to this question Thoma then went on to provide himself: “Everybody likes a spruce tree in the neighbourhood. It doesn’t hurt anyone, it is willing to share and it is tolerated by all. And that’s how it gets further than the competition.” It’s this willingness to cooperate that has become the creed for Thoma’s own life. Publishing his knowledge about forests, trees and solid wood construction in books, and thereby sharing it with others, has paid off in the form of many commissions, some from as far afield as Japan. “Trees don’t listen to McKinsey”, Thoma summarises – a dig at all the management consultants who propagate an elbow mentality.

In his poignant talk Thoma let his listeners experience parts of his family history, and especially the fact that he started his business together with his grandfather who always said: “You must use wood when it’s at its best – harvest it during a waning moon only.” Thoma was sceptical – he had to be convinced to heed his grandfather’s advice. Today however, he says in his thick Austrian twang: “It’s crazy, the kind of stuff grandpa knew!” His “moon trees” have proven to be much more resilient against fungi and insects than trees that weren’t harvested during a waning moon. They also do not require chemical treatment, which transforms wood from a natural resource into hazardous waste.

Wood is also at its best when it is solid. Thoma has developed a method for solid wood construction that mortises individual layers and doesn’t require any screws or bolts made of metal. At the same time the material retains its outstanding properties regarding insulation, fire resistance and temperature consistency. During his career as a businessman Thoma has had to prove all these characteristics time and again in order to secure building permits. In cooperation with the medical professional Maximilian Moser he also proved that living in homes made of wood has many benefits for human health. It strengthens the immune and the nervous systems and ensures deeper sleep. The heartbeat slows down. Thoma himself seems perfect proof: At 55 years of age he is a man with boundless energy. His lecture continues to have an effect long after the evening itself has passed. It only really leaves one question unanswered: what to do with the brick house in which one lives?

Filed Under: General Article

Please share this in your community:

« And the award (quite literally) goes to…
Utopian ideas and clear outlines against political disillusionment »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Please stay in touch!

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Phone
  • xing
  • YouTube

Insights

Appointments

November 4, 2020: Monika Griefahn moderates the online event “Environmental Management Summit” Hamburg


Germany’s Federal Environment Minister, Svenja Schulze. Photo: Max Arens

Germany’s Federal Environment Minister, Svenja Schulze. Photo: Max Arens

Pictures, videos and more from the Cradle to Cradle Congress January 31 – February 1, 2020 Berlin, Urania. Please read more here.


Laureates and guests. Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt

Laureates and guests. Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt

In 2019 the Right Livelihood Award was bestowed for the 40th time! Two laureates could come to Europe: Aminatou Haidar from Western Sahara and Davi Kopenawa from Brasil. Watch the entire video taken at the award ceremony, or read about this year’s laureates in our Blog.


 

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

Our CEO Dr. Monika Griefahn received the Federal Order of Merit. Please read more about her biography and about the award ceremony in our blog.


Blog Archive

  • Home
  • Monika Griefahn
  • Volunteering
  • institute for media, environment, culture
  • Service
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Site Notice/Imprint
  • Privacy Policy

 

Logo Monika Griefahn GmbH/institut medien umwelt kultur Monika Griefahn GmbH
PO Box 1135
21231 Buchholz
Germany
Phone: +49 4181 4069262
Email:
Website: www.institut-muk.de
  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • xing
  • YouTube
Customise Privacy Settings
Copyright © 2013–2021 | Zurück zum Seitenanfang/Back to top | Alle Rechte vorbehalten! – All rights reserved.