Why Aren’t We All Buying Products made of Bamboo
OK, so the Bamboo PC it was a gimmick. A laptop version of the bamboo PC was released at the Hanover computer fair last March. The laptop features a laminated bamboo casing which surrounds a rather basic computer, that alone won’t make much of a dent in the amount of plastics around the world.
Even though these bamboo PCs won’t save the environment, they did prove how versatile bamboo really is.
Surely bamboo must be the only plant that is a source of building materials, clothing and food. One of the early light bulbs created by Edison used bamboo. Because the material is so string, resiliant and cheap to use, it is used widely in building throughout Asia. The bamboo fibres have extremely high tension and compression strength. Bamboo has almost the same tensile strength to weight ratio as steel, plus it has roughly twice as muhc compressive strength as concrete. Now there’s even a bamboo laptop!
Bamboo products ticks almost all boxes for anyone looking to purchase eco-friendly home furnishings. For a start, it’s a highly sustainable raw material. There are a number of bamboo species that are able to grow over a metre each day. The locals that live close to these fantastic plants are able top cut down as much bamboo as they need while still having the same sized forest at the end of the year as they did at the beginning. As for the global warming question, because the bamboo is a plant, anything that’s been made from it contains a large proportion of atmospheric carbon. However, the plastic equivalent to a bamboo products actually adds to the atmospheric carbon levels, rather than taking away!
Another point would be, because bamboo is a natural material, there are huge variations between the plants, this makes it a very difficult material to be used in mass production. This means that when buying a bamboo product, you can be quite sure that it’s been hand crafted. If you buy from a reputable source of eco-friendly products, you’ll know that the craftsman that made the item was paid a fair wage for their time and skills. Finally, you’ll know that your product won’t have accumulated any air miles during its journey to your home.
With eco credentials this strong, it’s a surprise bamboo built products are so beautiful. Just picture a hand crafted bamboo box, layered 15 times with natural shellac. All natural and really stylish. In the last few days, I picked up a beautifully hand-crafted bamboo knife block and now I’m considering buying more bamboo kitchen accessories such as fruit bowls. Stylish and ethical. Win. 
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