Bamboo - The Answer to All Eco-Problems

If you ever get curious (or bored) enough to go to the internet and search for the worst ecological problems, you will be presented with a list of varied but equally terrifying problems that threaten the entire globe and our life as we know it.

Global warming, plastic pollution, freshwater shortage, and the list goes on, nearly every aspect of our life fuels some of these major problems. And overwhelmed by the problems if you try to search for solutions, the sheer variety is enough to bamboozle you.

But we still need a solution, don’t we? Something that we are familiar with, something that we can easily understand. What if I tell you the solution lies in Bamboo, bamboo in its various forms has the capacity the mitigate the effects of many global ecological problems and help us defeat them. So let's have a look at the benefits of bamboo and how it helps us fight against major global problems.

It packs a punch against climate change. 

It is a well-known fact by now that there are numerous ways in which bamboo helps us combat the effects of climate change. Bamboo’s fast-growing and renewable shoots sequester carbon in their biomass – at rates comparable, or even superior to, a number of tree species. The many durable products made from bamboo can also be potentially carbon-negative because they act as locked-in carbon sinks in themselves and encourage the expansion and improved management of bamboo forests.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Bamboo also helps avoid fossil fuel use, and reduce deforestation, by offering an alternative, highly renewable source of biomass energy. Bamboo can provide a sustainable source of bioenergy for the many people who rely on solid biomass for cooking, such as charcoal or briquettes. It can also be converted into gas or pellets, to provide a source of electricity and heating. Because it regrows quickly and matures faster than most types of trees, bamboo can take pressure off other forest resources, reducing deforestation. Summing everything up bamboo saves trees, keeps the planet cool, and is super cool.

The energy crisis is scared of bamboo.

We all have witnessed the recurring power cuts in recent times, partly caused due to the lack of coal. Is there a solution to this? There is! Bamboo charcoal and gas boast a similar calorific value to commonly used forms of bioenergy: a community of 250 households requires only 180 kilograms of dry bamboo to generate sufficient electricity in six hours. 

In places such as the European Union, bamboo can be converted into pellets for electricity generation and heating, as a sustainable form of biomass and contribution to renewable energy targets. Because bamboo can be grown on marginal land, it does not need to compete with agriculturally productive areas. 

Plastic pollution can be tackled 

Reading all of this must have answered your question, is bamboo eco-friendly? But is it really THAT eco-friendly? A simple answer it is! Now let us take a look at how it helps us reduce pollution. Fast-growing and versatile, bamboo can help to reduce plastic pollution as a source of both disposable and durable products, which are low-carbon to produce and can be biodegradable. Everyday items like plastic toothbrushes and coffee mugs can be replaced with bamboo-made variants which are a lot more sustainable. Bamboo can also be used for packaging edible items, reducing the waste by a lot. Imagine your next coffee in a bamboo mug. Very aesthetic, right? 

Regulating Water and Soil Erosion 

Bamboo regulates the quantity and quality of water, which are essential characteristics when managing watersheds. Bamboo forests also serve for sediment control. The form a sort of wall that prevents the loss of flow in rivers.

Bamboo can provide jobs 

Although not an environmental issue, unemployment is a major issue that results in a lot of global-level problems. Bamboo is a versatile and rapidly renewable resource with a wide range of livelihood applications. Its economic role is likely to expand at an accelerating pace – both locally and in international trade – as other forest resources become increasingly strained under climate change, as the imperative to mitigate climate change enforces less dependence on fossil fuels and endangered forest resources, and as research discovers new applications. 

Bamboo lends itself to an estimated 10,000 documented uses – everything from furniture and paper to fabrics, processed flooring, and climate-smart housing. Bamboo alone will not solve the world’s climate change problems. But, if this strategic resource is properly harnessed, it offers practical solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation – and a proven tool to fight rural poverty and restore the natural resource base that is the foundation for economic sustainability. One would never imagine bamboo solving this problem, will they? Bamboo Never ceases to amaze.

So if you are convinced that bamboo can solve a lot of problems and want to let it solve a few in your life, check out Bigbluemarble and get your hands on the wonderful bamboo toothbrushes that they have. Time to get rid of the ugly plastic toothbrush and say hi! to sustainability.