Go Green with bamboo

Go Green with bamboo

Bamboo: It's not just for pandas anymore. Although the plant has been a staple of construction and design in many Asian nations for thousands of years, Americans are just beginning to realize the many potential uses for the exotic shoots.
"Since bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth and a sustainable building material, it could easily substitute all known wood applications without having to cut down entire bamboo groves or plantations," Guadua Bamboo, a bamboo nursery and furniture shop, wrote on its website. "Better yet, bamboo continuously grows after harvest without having to re-plant it. Bamboo also converts about 35 percent more CO2 into oxygen than a regular tree."
Bamboo flooring is both a beautiful design accent to a home and is also a great way to show a love for sustainability. Phys.org recently reported on a school in Bali that is made completely out of bamboo. Featuring an arching roof with a number of skylights, the school is one of many buildings on the island that uses bamboo as its primary building material. A local chocolate factory was even made from the wood!
Utensils, cutting boards, bedding sheets and even strainers can be made from bamboo as well.