About Bamboo
History
Bamboo is a type of grass that is resistant to pest and grows very fast. It only takes about five years to reach maturity for harvest and does not require toxic pesticides to grow. Bamboo has been an important part of the lives of millions of people and animals dating back almost as far as the prehistoric cretaceous period of the planet. Throughout history, bamboo has been a primary source of food and shelter, furniture, medicine and even musical instruments. Now we use bamboo for flooring, computer covers, speakers. and we even use it for bed sheets and clothing, but the most important role bamboo has is its effect on the environment.
Environmental Benefits
Bamboo is very effective at controlling the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change. Recent research has discovered that bamboo can absorb up to five times more carbon dioxide than an equivalent stand of trees. Having converted the carbon dioxide into carbohydrates it is then released as oxygen. Bamboo is so efficient at this process it produces 35% more oxygen than most trees. This fast growing plant has been used for thousands of years by many cultures for its beauty, incredible strength and long-lasting durability.
Bamboo is a type of grass that is resistant to pest and grows very fast. It only takes about five years to reach maturity for harvest and does not require toxic pesticides to grow. Bamboo has been an important part of the lives of millions of people and animals dating back almost as far as the prehistoric cretaceous period of the planet. Throughout history, bamboo has been a primary source of food and shelter, furniture, medicine and even musical instruments. Now we use bamboo for flooring, computer covers, speakers. and we even use it for bed sheets and clothing, but the most important role bamboo has is its effect on the environment.
Environmental Benefits
Bamboo is very effective at controlling the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change. Recent research has discovered that bamboo can absorb up to five times more carbon dioxide than an equivalent stand of trees. Having converted the carbon dioxide into carbohydrates it is then released as oxygen. Bamboo is so efficient at this process it produces 35% more oxygen than most trees. This fast growing plant has been used for thousands of years by many cultures for its beauty, incredible strength and long-lasting durability.
Here are 7 amazing facts about how bamboo really is a magical plant:
1. Used in the first light bulbs- Thomas Edison’s light bulb used a carbonized bamboo filament, which allowed his light bulb to last 1200 hours.
2. Fastest growing plant in the world- Bamboo is actually considered a grass, and is the fastest growing plant on earth. The Guinness Book of World Records recorded a growth rate that reached up to 35 inches per day. Most bamboo can reach full maturity in 3 to 5 years. It grows on every continent except Antarctica.
3. Carbon fixation- Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen than trees. This greatly helps with the balancing of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. An acre of bamboo can fix about 25 metric tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year.
4. Can be used as a steel substitute- During World War II, bamboo was used as reinforcement for concrete instead of steel. Because of its light weight, strength, and flexibility, it can be used to substitute almost any building material.
5. Survived the atomic bomb- After the blast of 1945 in Hiroshima, bamboo was the first plant to re-sprout. It has also survived through natural disasters such as Hurricane Ivan and Katrina.
6. No chemicals needed- Because bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, no pesticides or fertilizers are needed to grow.
7. Provides housing to 15% of the people in the world- Bamboo is the main building material for more than 1 billion people around the world. Twenty-five percent of the worlds population rely on bamboo to get through their daily lives.
1. Used in the first light bulbs- Thomas Edison’s light bulb used a carbonized bamboo filament, which allowed his light bulb to last 1200 hours.
2. Fastest growing plant in the world- Bamboo is actually considered a grass, and is the fastest growing plant on earth. The Guinness Book of World Records recorded a growth rate that reached up to 35 inches per day. Most bamboo can reach full maturity in 3 to 5 years. It grows on every continent except Antarctica.
3. Carbon fixation- Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen than trees. This greatly helps with the balancing of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. An acre of bamboo can fix about 25 metric tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year.
4. Can be used as a steel substitute- During World War II, bamboo was used as reinforcement for concrete instead of steel. Because of its light weight, strength, and flexibility, it can be used to substitute almost any building material.
5. Survived the atomic bomb- After the blast of 1945 in Hiroshima, bamboo was the first plant to re-sprout. It has also survived through natural disasters such as Hurricane Ivan and Katrina.
6. No chemicals needed- Because bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, no pesticides or fertilizers are needed to grow.
7. Provides housing to 15% of the people in the world- Bamboo is the main building material for more than 1 billion people around the world. Twenty-five percent of the worlds population rely on bamboo to get through their daily lives.