Earth Day and Bamboo
In the words of the immortal poet e.e. Cummings “spring has sprung” and as the weather warms up it in the Northeast it becomes natural to notice our environment recovering from winters fierce grip. Last Friday was Earth Day, a reminder about the importance of environmental protection and sustainability. Bamboo Bob is often peppered with questions regarding Bamboo’s sustainability. Our friends want to know “How is Bamboo sustainable and what does this means to the planet and its inhabitants?”
First, Bamboo is not a tree—it’s a grass, and it grows like one. Many species of bamboo can grow two feet or more a day. When it’s harvested, it need not be replanted, because it will grow a new shoot from its extensive root system. So bamboo renews itself readily, unlike hardwood trees, which, once cut, are gone forever. Bamboo is an endlessly renewable resource. Farmed bamboo stabilizes the earth with its roots, preventing erosion. It takes in greenhouse gasses and produces oxygen (perhaps 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees).
By planting bamboo we enhance our local environment with carbon absorbing greenery, providing habitat for birds and animals and maybe even screening the neon flamingo birds some artfully displayed next door. As Lady Bird Johnson would say “You can plant a tree or a shrub”. Make it a bamboo plant this spring and respect Earth Day for your family and neighbors.