Here’s 3 Reasons Why Bamboo is truly Sustainable:
By Laura Bunting
Nowadays, it’s more important than ever to use truly sustainable resources. It’s really the only way that we can reverse the impacts of our lifestyle on the environment. But how do you know if a product is really sustainable?
Take cotton for example, it is a natural product, and is marketed as eco-friendly since it doesn’t contain any petro-chemicals. But dig a little deeper, and you realise that cotton plantations are vast, requiring a huge amount of arable land to grow. Plus, they are very susceptible to insect infestations which means insecticides…lots of insecticides. In fact, cotton crops consume 16% of all the insecticides and 7% of all herbicides used worldwide, which is more than any other crop! Not only that but cotton takes over 10 000 litres of water to produce just 1 kg of cotton. That is mind-blowing….and completely unsustainable.
But is Bamboo really any better?
The answer is a resounding yes! And here are 3 reasons why:
- Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet!
Not only does bamboo grow at a phenomenal rate ( up to 1.2 meters/day), reaching maturity in just 3-4 months, it also grows in most soil types including clay or sand. That means bamboo can be grown in areas that other crops can’t.
- Bamboo benefits the Environment
Bamboo is a carbon sink, and absorbs twice as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than trees. That’s huge, especially when you consider the effects of carbon on the global warming. In addition, bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than trees – an absolute winner!
And, because bamboo is naturally pest resistant, it grows without pesticides or herbicides. Compared to cotton, that is a huge win for the environment.
- Bamboo can be harvested over and over again
Once bamboo reaches maturity, it can be harvested multiple times. This means that the soil ecology is not disturbed and the land mass required for crops is significantly reduced. Again, considering that virgin forests are usually cleared to make way for crops, this is extremely important when you think about sustainability.
Bamboo ticks all the boxes, making it more than just eco-friendly. Bamboo really is the only crop that can keep up with demand, making it a truly sustainable material.