​BAMBOO

Food, clothing, medicine, construction... like hemp, bamboo is so versatile that it would probably be easier to compile a list of things it cannot be used for.

Known for being both strong and flexible, bamboo is another plant destined to play a major role in redressing the balance on our planet.

​The Bamboos (Bambusoidaea) consists of 1439 different species and is the only grass capable of diversifying into forests.

Bamboo is actually the world's fastest growing plant - able to grow as much as 91cm in 24 hours, and can grow to 130 feet tall. As soon as the bamboo is harvested, it just starts growing again, making it an ideal renewable resource.

Bamboo is one of the strongest building materials with a tensile strength of 28,000 psi, compared to 23,000 psi for mild steel.
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It's high strength-to-weight ratio and ability to bend without breaking is what makes bamboo an incredibly useful construction material. Bamboo has long been used as scaffolding in Asia.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Thomas Edison successfully used a carbonised bamboo filament in his light bulbs, and Alexander Graham Bell used bamboo for his first phonograph needle.​

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​Bamboo can be used in fibre, and carries strong anti-bacterial properties. 

Bamboo shoots are a common food throughout Asia, and are a good source of fiber.

Pandas eat bamboo as their major food source, and can grow up to over 200 pounds.​

​Bamboo produces more than 35 percent more oxygen than hardwood trees and has been found to absorb up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per 2.5 acres in a single year - perfect for helping stabilise the earth's atmosphere.  

Bamboo is very useful in preventing soil erosion and flooding due to its extensive and strong root system. 
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Bamboo charcoal has been traditionally used as fuel in China and Japan and it can also be utilised as a bio-fuel crop.

Before paper was used in China, bamboo or wooden strips were used as the standard writing material. Bamboo fibre has also been used to make paper.