Green living is supported by your actions. Saving energy and conserving water and other natural resources are key parts of a greener lifestyle. Another important contribution to going green comes from the items you buy. Organic foods, chemical-free fertilizers and low-VOC paints are all considered green products.
Bamboo is another material frequently found on lists of green products. As a green, renewable building material, bamboo has major advantages. It grows very quickly and can be harvested in 5 to 6 years. Compared to a hardwood tree, which may take 50-100 years to mature, bamboo provides 10 to 20 times as much building material in the same amount of time. Bamboo is surprisingly durable, as well. Bamboo also does not need to be replanted when cut, as it naturally grows back. For these reasons, bamboo has been used increasingly as a material for flooring and paneling. For these uses, bamboo is an excellent renewable raw material.
But be careful about letting clever marketers oversell you on the benefits of bamboo as a green raw material. Continue reading “Don’t Get Bamboozled by Bamboo”
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