Can Bamboo Save the Planet?
September 18, 2009 
6 Comments
I am amazed at all the products that can be made from bamboo. From household items to the entire house! This tall, hearty grass is a renewable resource. One of the great things about bamboo is that it grows so fast. To produce a full grown tree can take up to sixty years, and then another sixty years time for a replacement. Species of bamboo equal to the height and width of a tree take as little as sixty days to mature completely. Bamboo grows everywhere in the world except those places with extremely cold climates, in fact, it grows really well in Texas! It is thought that it originated in China where the first know items made from bamboo have been recorded.
Use of bamboo for building has been around for a very long time but faded out over the centuries. Currently it is making a comeback in many parts of the world and is becoming a very popular resource in the US.
As beautiful as bamboo is when used in flooring, cutting boards and wall covering, it is also used to make fabric. Anti-bacterial, wicking and biodegradable, bamboo fibers are becoming more and more popular. From bedding to clothing, industries are making more products with bamboo fabric, extolling the virtues of using the alternative source to cotton.
The most noticeable qualities of bamboo fabric are the aesthetic qualities that are gathered from the first touch or sight of bamboo. These qualities include:
- Texture – Bamboo fabric feels softer than the most refined cotton.
- Color – Bamboo fabric tests as well as every other material for color fastness when washing and wear over time.
- Appearance – The fabrics made of bamboo appear to look like other materials which are more expensive, such as silk.
Another reason that bamboo fabric is becoming more popular is because of the anti-bacterial properties that it has. Bamboo requires very little to no pesticides when growing. This makes products made from bamboo fabric, such as bed sheets and bath towels, good for people with allergies. With the fabric unable to host the bacteria and allergens that cause people with allergies to react, these people are able to find a healthy alternative to other fabrics.
Bamboo fabric is also quite ecologically friendly. 100% biodegradable, the fibers used to make bamboo fabric don’t need to be sprayed with chemical additives of any sort. There is also less water wasted for irrigation for bamboo, and there is very little surface runoff from chemicals that could be sprayed on the plants to keep them healthy, as these chemicals aren’t needed.
By now, nearly everyone knows that we are depleting the natural resources of the only planet we have at a rate that is well past sustainable. Can bamboo save the planet? The answer to that question remains to be seen. But this amazing plant and its surging popularity in a huge variety of products offers each of us, a chance to enjoy many of the comforts of modern life without causing irreparable damage to our environment. This Texas family will be using more and more of the products made from Bamboo!!
New ways to utilize Bamboo is indeed an important development in the western world. In the East bamboo has been used for thousands of purposes since the dawn of civilization. Today one of the most significant new applications of bamboo are entire houses built from structural bamboo.
See what code-certified modern bamboo homes look like at http://bambooliving.com/
All the best!
I certainly agree with the fact that bamboo can sequester more CO2 from the atmosphere per acre than that same acre planted in hardwoods. It also grows really well here in Florida…I have 19 varieties growing on my property….how many do you have?
We currently don't have any bamboo growing at our homes here in Texas but would love to try and we know it grows well because our local Botanical Gardens have a huge bamboo forest.
We are a retail store, not a manufacturer, so we carry products from many different brands. Our main competitors are other bamboo product manufacturers, and 4 or 5 shops like ours that carry all different bamboo products. Our advantage is in our selection, because we carry so many different brands. And we’ve been doing this for 5 years, making us the oldest all-bamboo store there is.
On our blog we discuss issues related to environmental awareness, green living, natural lifestyles. Sometimes we also write about local issues for our community, and about topics related to Buddhism, yoga, zen and eastern philosophy.
We will have to share this on our blog http://www.bambubatu.com/blog/
We are a online retailer of eco-friendly products made from bamboo. I started this business out of a need. My youngest son was born with severe eczema. Every piece of clothing that I would buy for him would irritate his skin. I searched and stumbled upon Bamboo baby clothing, it was a God sent. It was super soft, naturally anti-bacterial, hypo-allergenic, breathable and wick moisture from his body. Today we not only sell bamboo baby products but we have expanded our product line to bamboo bedding, bamboo towels, bamboo kitchenwares etc. I love the feel of bambooo. I would recommend it to anyone dealing with allergies or atopic dermatitis.
Please teach the rest of these internet hoilgoans how to write and research!