Bamboo is a renewable ecological crop with multiple uses in textiles, household items and hardware. But is bamboo sustainable? Is it good for the environment?
I recently replaced my plastic toothbrush with a toothbrush made of bamboo. Now, I wonder how far I should go.
What other bamboo should I buy? Cosmetic bottle, cup, toilet paper? Should I choose bamboo over cotton, metal and hardwood, just as I would choose a plastic alternative?
Bamboo seems to pave the way for an eco-friendly material, but is bamboo sustainable in all its forms? Even if it is mass-produced? Is bamboo environmentally friendly? Or am I being tricked into the latest greening trend?
Let's take a closer look at the reality of bamboo sustainability. What is bamboo? Bamboo is a fast-growing and naturally renewable dendritic grass. It requires little maintenance to farm, as it does not require any pesticides or herbicides, nor does it require very little water to grow.
There are currently more than 1,200 different kinds of bamboo, most of which are highly adaptable, especially in areas with high humidity.
Bamboo is able to grow in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the southern United States. Certain varieties can also be grown in cooler climates such as the UK and North America.
In the field of sustainable development, bamboo is often considered a raw material for clothing and household andcosmetic packaging items. But bamboo is also a common food source in some parts of the world. It's not just giant pandas that eat bamboo in their diet.
Humans have been eating bamboo shoots for thousands of years. Bamboo shoots are often found in Asian dishes, are low in fat and calories, and are a good source of fiber and potassium.
If you've ever been to Southeast Asia, you've probably seen bamboo used widely in the construction industry. Bamboo is often used as scaffolding, upright props, and even for building huts and houses.
This is because bamboo is super strong; Even stronger than steel! Steel has a tensile strength of 23,000 PSI, while bamboo has a tensile strength of 28,000 PSI. Looks crazy, right?
From all this, bamboo seems to be a super plant... But is it as good or bad for the environment as we think?
Is bamboo good for the environment? One of the biggest environmental benefits of bamboo is its ability to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
Bamboo produces 35 percent more oxygen than the same tree quality, and studies have shown that bamboo can absorb up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. It's a lot of carbon sequestration!
Bamboo also grows very fast, sometimes at a rate of 3 feet (90 cm) per day, depending on the species. It only takes 1 to 5 years to grow to full maturity, again depending on the breed. This is much faster than the fastest growing trees.
So far, everything is fine, now let's take a look at how bamboo grows.
When harvested bamboo is re-grown from its own root system, there is no need to plant it again. Not only is this great from a naturally renewable point of view, but it also means that the soil and roots are not disturbed, which is good for soil health.
Although bamboo plants have only shallow roots, they form a network of fibers underground that help keep the soil together. By not interfering with the roots and soil between harvests, the microenvironment under the soil and subsurface continues to develop and improve.
Soil improvement helps absorb water and helps prevent soil erosion. Many areas where bamboo is grown suffer from heavy rains and monsoons during the rainy season, and improving soil and healthy roots can help minimize landslides. Despite all these benefits, bamboo production has a significant drawback.
The biggest problem with bamboo is how it is usually cultivated. Due to growing popularity, large tracts of land are being cleared out to grow bamboo. This can lead to the displacement of wildlife and the loss of biodiversity in existing ecosystems.
When bamboo is grown as a crop, it is also often done as a monoculture. This means planting only bamboo and removing all other varieties.
Monoculture poses problems for fungi, bacteria, insects and other small animals that depend on nutrients and habitats of diverse ecosystems.
This applies to any monoculture, not just bamboo. Similar concerns are raised in avocado tree fields in South America, eucalyptus forests in Portugal, and corn and soybean plains in North America. Are bamboo products sustainable? Due to the versatility of bamboo, it is used in an increasingly wide range of products.
We can find bamboo alternatives to bamboo coffee cups and plastic straws and cosmetic bottle. Plus clothes, floors, furniture, and of course: toothbrushes (where this story begins...). When is bamboo sustainable? Bamboo is a very strong and lightweight material. Especially compared to wood and steel. In Asia, it was used instead of steel to build buildings and roads or to reinforce concrete.
Since technically it is a grass, not a tree, there is no weakness along its length. This makes it stronger and more durable than the toughest hardwoods.
Bamboo also grows much faster than its hardwood and cork equivalents. Therefore, it can be harvested every three to seven years. Some wood is only harvested when the trees are about 30-50 years old! Is bamboo more sustainable than plastic? This is indeed a million-dollar problem. If you're thinking about buying something made from bamboo, it's probably because you want to reduce the amount of plastic you use.
Unfortunately, this is not an easy question to answer, and the answer is often: depending on the situation.
Let's consider the clear facts:
Bamboo is a highly sustainable natural renewable resource. Plastic is not.
Plastic is killing many wildlife, marine life and polluting much of our environment. Bamboo wasn't — or at least not yet.
Most bamboo can be composted. But products with added chemicals can't. Plastic can never compost. Only some plastics can be recycled, which requires a lot of energy.
The manufacture of plastics and some bamboo products involves nasty chemicals – and no one wins here.
For the world ,We are being as sustainable as we can be.
