School resources; Tools. Charcoal made from this amazing plant has been used for centuries as cooking fuel in China and Japan. Therefore, bamboo cultivation creates job opportunities to several people. 1.6 billion people’s livelihoods depend on forests. According to World Wildlife Fund, 18.7 … However, the processed or treated product in the end is the most concerning part. The very dense fibers in each bamboo cane give the plant extreme flexibility, allowing it to bend without snapping. This follows an unpredictable cycle with as long as 130 years between blooms. Bamboo is a type of grass and itself it is indeed eco-friendly and sustainable if it grows in its natural environment. However, this requires chopping down trees that have been around since the Middle Ages! Beautiful and intricately crafted beds, chairs and tables are made from bamboo. According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80% of Earth’s forests have already been destroyed, and they continue to be wiped out at a rate 10x higher than any possible level of regrowth- more than 17 million hectares a year! As a result, 85% of the world’s species are now classified as “threatened” or “endangered”. “Old-growth” refers to the forests that are considered ancient and tend to promote the most biodiversity because of their unique filtration of sunlight. To give you an idea of the true strength of bamboo materials, let’s compare it to common building materials. Without bamboo bolstering the riverbanks, the water was in danger of eutrophication – a harmful excess of chemical nutrients being released in the water from eroding soil runoff. Passivhaus; The Duralex tumbler; The Bicycle; The Hypercar; The Guitar; Cast Iron Cookware; Thonet chair; Chinese Chef’s knife; Tweed jacket; Picnic Table; Resources. There are many Bamboo plant species and some of them can grow up to 91 cm (35 in) per day and up to 30 meters in height. Often used for its tonic and astringent properties, it is also considered an aphrodisiac. However, not all bamboo is necessarily sustainable or even environmentally preferable. In that same amount of time, one bamboo plant – which can be continually harvested every three years — could have been cut and re-grown over 650 times. That’s a lot of carbon sequestration! As you can see from … It is often used for scaffolding because it proves to be an eco-friendly and cost-effective resource. He used a bamboo filament. In terms of the environmental impact, bamboo is fast-growing and therefore is often touted as an environmentally friendly choice. Bamboo is a vast untapped development resource that provides climate-smart mitigation and adaptation solutions. In fact, bamboo’s compressive strength -- its ability to withstand pressure, is larger than even concrete. Some species have been measured to grow over 4 feet in 24 hours. It is a type of grass and grows from it’s roots, when it is cut it quickly grows back with most species maturing in 3-5 years. Bamboo mainly goes under the sustainability of materials however it does play a role in other ways as well. The thickness of the sprouting shoot determines the thickness of the mature stem, as cell … Intensive harvesting of timber, deforestation, slash-and-burn practices, and urban development all make for fewer places that wildlife can call home. The fact that bamboo is a grass is the starting point for why it is different and more sustainable than timber from trees. Turning raw bamboo fibers into fabric is the opposite of sustainable. Bamboo facts are interesting because bamboo is an amazing plant with tall stalks and leaves which can be found all over the world. The high silica content in bamboo fibers make the material difficult for termites to digest. This is because it takes a rigorous process to turn tough bamboo stalks into soft cloth. Jul 26, 2020 - Quick & Fan facts about Bamboo Plant! It requires an intensive and chemical heavy process to produce the fabric. I love to write about health, fitness, sustainable living, and travel. Choosing bamboo would also mean that we would support the local economy and enhance sustainability. Deforestation has dealt an especially heavy blow to Earth’s largest tree, the California redwood. During the time it takes to regenerate, the bamboo plant’s root system stays intact so erosion is prevented. For almost 100 years, national and state parks in California have been working to protect 45% of the world’s remaining old-growth redwood trees. Bamboo dental flosses contain no preservatives, gluten, artificial colors, or sweeteners, though some manufacturers add peppermint or essential oils. Bamboo looks like a sustainable solution for the textile industry. When compared to cotton cultivation, which requires large amounts of water, pesticides, and labour, the advantages are pretty clear. 2. This durability and speed of growth contribute to making bamboo a very popular and sustainable building material. Beware though: it is also made into Rayon in a chemical process that is unsustainable. Buying a bamboo rug will ensure that you save a tree. This liquid contains 400 different chemical compounds and can be applied for many purposes including cosmetics, insecticides, deodorants, food processing, and agriculture. In fact, when bamboo fibers are used in construction, carbon is stored away for the lifetime of the building. Much discussed and criticized, it represents one of the most sustainable, natural raw materials due to its properties and growth rate. One of the best characteristics of bamboo is that it’s extremely renewable and sustainable compared to cotton, wood, and similar plants. General. The precious rainfall supplying their crops and drinking water had also been washing their village down the hillside, forcing small communities to abandon their homes. Unlike wood, bamboo has no rays or knots, allowing it to withstand more stress throughout the length of each stalk. Footprint calculators; Gapminder World ; Sustainability quotes; … But its use as a fabric is actually where this grass falls short. Along the California and Oregon coastlines a massive 96% of the original old-growth coast redwood trees have been logged for use in fences, furniture and construction. 1.21 metres: the maximum daily growth of a bamboo pole The plant’s rapid establishment and growth allow frequent harvesting, which limits exposure to disaster, and allows farmers to flexibly adapt their […] Ancient remedies that involve bamboo are still used in many health and body care products today. Bamboo is a super plant. Bamboo. By providing alternative products made from renewable resources, we can make a difference in the future of our planet. Continuous harvesting of this woody grass every 3-7 years, actually improves the overall health of the plant. Bamboo has been picking up a lot of attention lately for being an eco-friendly alternative to other types of materials. Absorbed every year from the trees we save annually. For example, when bamboo blooms it dies. Human activity resulting from overpopulation is the driving cause behind habitat destruction. Bamboo has a higher tensile strength than many alloys of steel. Musical instruments, fishing rods, bicycles, helmets, toys…, Copyright 2008-2020 Econation | All Rights Reserved | Powered by, 1000 Words: A Manifesto for Sustainability in Design, Read more about sustainable furniture here», It is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilisers, It grows rapidly and can be harvested in 3-5 years, It produces 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees, It sequesters carbon dioxide and is carbon neutral, It is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, It is an excellent soil erosion inhibitor. Bamboo contains different chemical extractives than hardwood, which make it better suited for gluing. It … MOSO Bamboo products combine the virtues of the best hardwoods (hardness, looks, stability) with the immense growing capacity of the highly renewable giant bamboo species Moso and can therefore act as the green carbon negative alternative for scarce (tropical) hardwood and in some applications even for high CO2emitting products made from non- renewable resources such as concrete, plastics (PVC) … Bamboo is clocked as the fastest growing plant on Earth. Bamboo can still be grown unsustainably in a minority of instances, so you can also look for FSC certification, or organic certification (a step above FSC). In fact, it’s largely been discredited as a solid alternative to cotton. Bamboo; Wood; Hemp; Wool; Linen; Straw; Clay, stone, sand; Beeswax; Coconut; Sustainable Designs. Below we quantify the plant’s potential for green economy development. 4. This amazing plant grows in tropical and temperate environments and is very hardy, not needing pesticides or herbicides to grow well. Sustainable materials. Bonus geek-friendly, bamboo Eco-friendly sustainability facts to bore your friends with… Thomas Edison used bamboo in the first light bulb. Bamboo also absorbs some of the alcohol content, which some may view either as a benefit or a defect. From diverting logging in the rainforest, home to thousands of species. Luckily, the city halted the bamboo removal and agreed to restore the buffer around the river. Cups and saucers, spoons and ladles can all be made from this incredibly versatile material. Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity. If the destruction of habitats around the globe does not slow, mass extinctions is sadly imminent. Early airplanes often used bamboo due to its excellent strength to weight ratio. By using renewable materials instead of traditional lumber. Bamboo has a high elasticity, which is why it is a perfect choice for use in building construction. Bamboo also self-regenerates using its own roots to replenish the grass after harvest. Bamboo is very strong and grows incredibly fast compared to other types of wood. Incredibly, this does not decrease the number of poles per hectare or 100 square acres! In fact, by harvesting the mature plants, the yield and quality of the plantation actually increase. There are over 1000 species of bamboo. In the meantime, there is less oxygen produced, less carbon dioxide consumed, and more soil runoff in the spot where the tree was harvested – all producing harmful environmental effects. Habitat destruction is ranked as the single greatest threat facing our planet’s animals, and the largest cause of extinction. Bamboo is a grass, not a tree, which is why it is a particularly sustainable material to use: it grows very quickly (the record is 90cm in 24 hours), matures within 3 years, and regenerates - so the plant is not destroyed and continues to grow after the poles are harvested. As a result of a movement towards sustainability, bamboo has become increasingly popular in recent years. A pole of bamboo can regenerate to its full mass in just six months! This can severely disrupt the ecology of the river and everything living in and near it. Yes, bamboo can be a sustainable and eco-friendly resource. Beyond the tasks of layout and theme selection – which are a vast undertaking by themselves – there are tons of decisions … Cali Bamboo's mission is to provide sustainable materials for high quality building products. Spoiler alert: the majority of bamboo fabric is the same as rayon! Some facts about the sustainability of bamboo are: It is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilisers It requires no irrigation Thus, bamboo can help flavor and enhance the health properties of alcoholic beverages. It’s the new hemp, it can be made into a strong and durable fabric a bit like canvas and can be made into all sorts of clothes. Bamboo is a sustainable building material because it grows 15 times faster than other traditional lumber like pine. If the next Avengers movie stars ‘Bamboo Man’, I wouldn’t be surprised. Pulps are mainly produced in China, Myanmar, Thailand and India, and are used in printing and writing papers. One of the biggest environmental benefits of bamboo is its ability to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Bamboo has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than graphite. Bamboo is often labeled ‘the world’s most renewable material’ and is the fastest-growing woody plant in the world. Most redwoods have a 500 to 700 year lifespan, but some can live over 2000 years! Some species have been measured to grow over 4 feet in 24 hours. Additionally, bamboo fabric is breathable, thermal regulating, wicks moisture better than polyester performance fabrics, will resist odour and is absorbent and fast drying keeping you dryer and more comfortable than any cotton or polyester fabrics. Keep in mind that SFI and PEFC certifications are weak schemes that have little meaning. The objective is to reduce the negative impacts of built environments while creating healthy, comfortable, and economically prosperous places for people to live, work, and play. Every year 22 million acres of forested land is lost. Bamboo can be a very sustainable crop: a fast-growing grass, it requires no fertiliser and self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn’t need to be replanted. It is a type of grass and grows from it’s roots, when it is cut it quickly grows back with most species maturing in 3-5 years. Bamboo’s sectional anatomy, both as a cane and on a microscopic fiber level, enhances its structural integrity. The circular structure of bamboo allows it to withstand a great deal of force. The following real-life stories demonstrate just how important bamboo is in preventing dangerous erosion. Today, over one billion people in the world live in bamboo houses. Yearbook planning options in 2020 are endless! Shoots are used mainly in Asian food preparations. Bamboo facts are interesting because bamboo is an amazing plant with tall stalks and leaves which can be found all over the world. Choose the five facts that resonate most with you as a designer and make a list, justifying why each fact is important to sustainable designers. I did some research andcreated a list of the benefits of bamboo as a sustainable material: 1. www.citrop.com #funfacts #interestingfacts #bambooplantfacts #bambooplant Turns out, when up against other timbers, bamboo shoots above and beyond. If timber was used instead, it would require the felling of trees from an already diminishing forest. Purchasing bamboo products therefore should not impact the panda's food resource. Forests around the world have felt the affects of human demand for lumber and paper goods. The Bamboo vinegar or pyroligneous acid is extracted when making charcoal and is used for hundreds of treatments in almost all fields. Bamboo plant is highly sustainable and it is the fastest growing plant in the world! By offering alternative products made with sustainable materials, Cali Bamboo aims to combat habitat loss and divert logging in the rainforest, protecting the homes of all the amazing wildlife that call Earth home. If you’re part of a yearbook team, you know how overwhelming making those choices can be. Bamboo has higher compressive strength than many mixtures of concrete. Can be used in construction material. Another great inventor, Alexander Graham Bell used sharpened Bamboo as a needle on the first record player (phonograph). It is believed that if bamboo were planted on a mass basis it could completely reverse the effects of global warming in less then a decade, while providing a renewable source of food, building material, and erosion prevention. Trees used for timber take 30 to 50 years to regenerate to their full mass, whereas one bamboo plant can be harvested every 3 to 7 years. Read more about sustainable furniture here». Bamboo floss is also free of the potentially harmful wax mentioned earlier which is used in many nylon flosses. In Hong Kong, bamboo scaffolding is preferred over metal scaffolding because its easily available and cheaper. Our product offerings include bamboo flooring, fencing, plywood, poles, and recycled composite decking. According to reports in a small village in Indonesia, water from the culm (the side branches) is used to treat diseases of the bone effectively. Bamboo’s dense running rhizome root system has proven to be a great way to prevent erosion – so much so that in some cases its removal can actually harm the surrounding habitat. [10] I am a millennial living in Santa Fe, NM with my wife and our two puppies. This prevents landslides and keeps nutrients from getting dumped into rivers and lakes where they can harm the ecosystem. Home Bamboo Agriculture The Top Ten Reasons Why Bamboo can Save the Planet The Top Ten Reasons Why Bamboo can Save the Planet. For example, bamboo structures will have better air quality if compared to more toxic building materials. Pollution, global warming, and conversion of natural habitat for agricultural use also greatly impact habitats. Green building is a movement dedicated to the transformation of practice in the design, operation of built environments. Typically, 20-25% of the poles in a sustainable bamboo forest or plantation can be harvested each year. When it comes to sustainability, bamboo has traditional lumber beat in every category… Bamboo is clocked as the fastest growing plant on Earth. This durability and speed of growth contribute to making bamboo a very popular and sustainable building material. The actual final result is bamboo viscose, or rayon. Bamboo is being hailed as one of the most sustainable fabrics we can opt for, but is it as eco-friendly as we’re led to believe? In order for bamboo to be sustainable, it usually should be Moso bamboo (also known as giant timber bamboo) which is not endangered or threatened. Just east of Nepal and north of Bangladesh, the Bhutanese village of Ramjar had a serious erosion problem. Bamboo as an ancient herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years in Asia. It’s production into fibres has lower environmental impact than other forms of fibre, especially synthetic ones. A pole of bamboo can regenerate to its full mass in just six months! The video lists 10 facts about bamboo. Bamboo is a sustainable raw material that can be used very efficiently both from an economic and ecological point of view. Tropical forests contain at least half our planet’s species whose habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate. For the most part bamboo stems are hollow, which makes them different from tree trunks. In China, ingredients from the black bamboo shoot help treat kidney diseases. – U.S. Green Building Council, Green construction has been championed as the way of the future — providing jobs, cutting energy consumption, and making efficient use of sustainable resources. 7 Amazing Facts About Bamboo Yearbook Teams Need to Know. Green is great, but strength is what stands the test of time. Visit our Instagram profile for more fun facts! Bamboo vs wood. Bamboo’s incredibly thick rhizome root system helps maintain soil integrity. Many redwood lumber companies prefer using this old-growth wood because it is sturdier than the younger trees and can be given a longer warranty. Unfortunately, a mere 4% of the original old-growth redwoods are still standing as a result of a relentless demand for lumber. Bloom Bamboo is an unusual plant in a number of ways. As Pablo explains: “Unlike a tree trunk, the bamboo stem does not grow in thickness. Bamboo is very strong and grows incredibly fast compared to other types of wood. Posted on February 7, 2020 by admin - sustainability. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, as things stand now in the United States buildings account for…. When it comes to sustainability, bamboo has traditional lumber beat in every category…. Turning rough bamboo grass and shoots into a usable fabric is not an easy feat. It is being used in road reinforcements in India and it is also used in bridges built in China, capable of supporting trucks that weigh as much as 16 tons. Trees used for conventional wood take 30-50 years to regenerate to their full mass. In Japan, the antioxidant properties of the bamboo skin prevent bacterial growth, and are used as natural food preservatives. Sustainability Due to bamboo's characteristics as a fast growing, natural and extremely strong material there is increasing interest in using bamboo as an sustainable material for homes, buildings and other structures. We’re here today to talk about a wonderful material that can help with sustainability. Unlike trees, the bamboo plant does not die after harvesting, eliminating deforestation. Compared to an equivalent tree mass, bamboo produces 35% more oxygen and research has shown that bamboo can absorb as much as 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. Bamboo Fabric vs Rayon. According to Japanese scientists, bamboo cloth can retain its antibacterial quality even after 50 washings. By now, nearly everyone knows that we are depleting the natural resources of the only home that we have at a rate that is well past sustainable. Some facts about the sustainability of bamboo are: According to UNESCO, 70 hectares of bamboo produces enough material to build 1000 houses. Exotic woods like the mango are often used in Oriental rugs. It is also used to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other types of jewellery. California Transparency in Supply Chain Act. In comparison, hardwoods like oak trees take at least forty years before they can be harvested. NO CHEMICAL PESTICIDES OR FERTILIZERS: Bamboo requires zero in terms of agricultural chemicals to grow and thrive. In fact, you could consider that bamboo viscose, generic viscose, and rayon are all the same material. In earthquakes, a bamboo forest is actually a very safe place to take shelter, and houses made of bamboo have been known to withstand 9.0 magnitude quakes. When the city of Sandy Springs, Georgia tore out five acres of bamboo alongside the Chattahoochee River, the State Environmental Protection Division declared they were in violation of environmental rules. Thanks to its unique composition, bamboo is naturally designed for strength…. It can grow up to four feet in one day, no joke. And the icing on the cake – bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent size of trees! Imagine destroying something that started growing in biblical times just to make a fence! Rayon is just an older, more generalized term for fabric made from wood or plant cellulose. Some bamboo products are really not eco-friendly at all but others definitely are. Today, however, a long-term project is in place to plant groves of bamboo in these troubled areas to maintain land stability. In industrial textile production, cellulose-heavy bamboo pulp is dissolved in a chemical solution. Roots and leaves have also been used to treat venereal diseases and cancer. Renewable resource – bamboo can be harvested in one to five years depending on the species. For thousands of years bamboo has been the go-to building material for most of the world. Although bamboo that`s used in construction is woody, it is actually a grass.