Wood as "Green" as It Gets To the Editor: In response to the article "Green Building at the Lumberyard" (Notebook, 4/99), I am continually amazed by some of the reasons for purchasing socalled "green" building materials. A case in point is the comparison of the new plastic decking products to traditional wood decking materials. While plastic decking can be made from recycled materials, most use virgin polymers and other nonrenewable, non-biodegradable resources that involve toxic manufacturing processes and high energy costs. Combine this with the fact that once these plastic materials are buried in a landfill they will stay there nearly forever. I fail to see how synthetic decking, or any other plastic building products, can be touted as "green" alternatives. I