Benefits of Bamboo

Bamboo is frequently proclaimed as the world's most renewable material: it's naturally pest-resistant, grows incredibly fast and can actually help rebuild eroded soil. It takes just three or four years to go from seed to harvest and because the root network is so big, you don't even need to replant - it just shoots right back up again. Bamboo, therefore, can be grown without any chemical fertilisers or pesticides.

China is still the only country that grows bamboo on a commercial scale, and as it becomes an increasingly lucrative cash crop, farmers are starting to grow it as a mono-crop. That in itself reduces biodiversity and can lead to an increase in pests. This in turn means pesticide use becomes necessary.

There's also some evidence that farmers are using chemical fertilisers to increase their yields. There's no reason why they shouldn't: there are no set standards or environmental guidelines in China for the growing of bamboo and clearly their concern is to get as large a crop as possible for their money. Unfortunately, though, this has an environmental cost.

Farmers are also now beginning to clear natural forestland in order to grow more bamboo. It seems rather ironic that much of the blame for endangering the giant pandas of China can be traced to farmers and landowners clearing bamboo forest for farmland - now they're clearing it to grow back some bamboo. Too late, alas, for many pandas.

“Bamboo and rattan are not always seen as tools to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. We believe they bring major opportunities,” the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), an intergovernmental group based in Beijing, China, told the UN Forum on Forests in New York, United States.

For further info on how to grow bamboo, click here

For example, bamboo can reduce soil erosion and restore degraded lands, and ultimately help protect the livelihoods of people who depend on forest ecosystems. Products derived from the two plants could also bring income to millions of people in developing countries, the group says.

INBAR, which has 40 member states, called on policymakers to include bamboo and rattan in their action plans for forest development.

INBAR also presented the Global Assessment of Bamboo and Rattan, an initiative that aims to exchange knowledge and data about bamboo and rattan. The assessment is expected to be launched at the World Forestry Congress in Durban, South Africa, in September 2015.

Bamboo and rattan grow across much of the developing world, including in many equatorial countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. They make good alternatives to wood charcoal and cotton fibres, and bamboo can be burned or used in biogas systems to provide a sustainable source of bio-energy.

Bamboo can grow at a rate of up to one metre per day, and can be harvested for productive use after 3-7 years, compared with 10-15 years for conventional trees. Hence, using bamboo as a replacement for other wood would lead to fewer trees being cut down for processing, INBAR says.

Because bamboo grows quickly it also absorbs carbon quickly, and is what we call a strategic forest resource in the battle against climate change,” says Hans Friederich, director general of INBAR.

Technically a grass, bamboo has been used in decorations and a number of other assortments, but has only recently been used on a large scale for floors. Perhaps as a result of the sustainable movement, the material has become increasingly popular. However, even though it a sustainable resource, it is also a cost effective one. Although laminates are cheaper for flooring, most traditional hard wood flooring costs more money than bamboo does.

The benefits of bamboo are many fold.

First of all, it is a natural anti-bacterial that will help buildings where there are children or people who cannot be in contact with bacteria for fear of sickness. Another great feature of bamboo is that it is water resistant, which makes it a better choice than many other hardwood floors that can stain or deteriorate when any kind of moisture gets in contact. It is also an extremely durable piece of material that is easy to move, yet still hard enough to provide you with great flooring.

For those who like do it yourself projects, there are a number of options with grooves and tongues that allow for easy installation. Nonetheless, if you want the best fit and installation you might want to hire a professional to do it for you.

Harvesting Bamboo

Luckily the harvesting of bamboo is also sustainable for the earth. The bamboo tree (or grass) is grown in abundance in many parts of the world. In some cases it is even problematic for landowners because they are unable to access all of their land. In any case, the bamboo is a material that is perfect for sustainable construction. They can offer great quality hardwood floors, but they do not cost much to the environment at all.

Overall, sustainable bamboo flooring is a great option for improving the building or construction plans for any project. The bamboo is a great anti-bacterial and it is also water resistant. Both of these features make it a superior product to many of the other hardwoods that are used today. Many of the rare trees that are used for wood flooring are unable to regenerate in the way that bamboo has. If you want to change the world and provide yourself with a sustainable home, then bamboo flooring is one great way to go. Not only that, but it is a much more practical product as well.

1. Renewable resource. Depending on the species, bamboo can be harvested in one to five years. Hardwoods like oak take at least forty years to mature before they can be harvested. Almost 1 million acres of forests are lost each week worldwide to deforestation. Bamboo's versatility as a substitute for hardwoods offers a chance to drastically reduce that figure and protect the forests that we have left.

2. Absorbs greenhouse gases. Bamboo absorbs carbon dioxide and releases 35% more oxygen into the atmosphere than an equivalent stand of hardwood trees.

3. Amazing growth rate. Some species of bamboo grow more than a meter each day! No plant on the planet features a faster growth rate. When it is harvested, it will grow a new shoot from its extensive root system with no need for additional planting or cultivation.

4. Very little waste. After harvesting, virtually every part of the plant is used to make a wide variety of products. From soil-enriching mulch to beautiful furniture to chopsticks, every part of the plant can be utilized.

5. Versatility. Bamboo can replace the use of wood for nearly every application. Paper, Flooring ,Furniture, charcoal, Building materials, and much more can be made from bamboo. What's more, bamboo fibers are far stronger than wood fibers and much less likely to warp from changing atmospheric conditions.

6. No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed.Unlike most cash crops, bamboo requires no agricultural chemicals to thrive. Unlike cotton, which is one of the most intensely sprayed crops in the world and rapidly depletes the nutrients in the soil, bamboo sequesters nitrogen and cultivation does not add chemicals to the environment.

7. Soil protection. Once hardwood forests are clear-cut and the stumps are burned to provide fertilizer and space for growing crops, erosion inevitably occurs as the topsoil and nutrients are washed away by rainfall. The eroded soil then clogs rivers and streams and affects the lives of people and animals living downstream. Bamboo roots remain in place after harvesting where they prevent erosion and help retain nutrients for the next crop.

8. Economic development. In less developed countries where unemployment leads to civil unrest, bamboo production and the manufacturing of bamboo products provides job opportunities in areas that desperately need social and economic stability.

9. Bamboo grows in a variety of conditions. Bamboo can grow in arid regions where droughts cause other crops to fail and since the roots are left in place after harvesting, it helps to preserve vital moisture in the soil. From low wetlands to higher elevations in the mountains, bamboo thrives in a wide range of climates.

10. Optimism and cultural cooperation. In a fractious world where wars are fought over resources, the increasing popularity of bamboo products provides an opportunity for diverse cultures to settle their difference through trade and cooperation that benefits everyone. 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 mankind a chance to enjoy many of the comforts of modern life without causing irreparable damage to our environment.

#growbamboo #bamboo #sustainablebuilding #sustainablebamboo #versitilebamboo #ecoaudit #greenconsultant #GreenYourLife