Bamboo Products Over Plastic: Heal Mother Nature

Author: Namita Trilok Chandra

Bamboo is the largest part of the grass family and is also the fastest-growing plant in the world. The plant has been a prominent part of various cultures all over the world. From 12,000 BC, Bamboo products have been used in China. From food to décor, Bamboo has found its place in many homes across the world. However, there are still a lot of people who do not understand how Bamboo products over plastic can help the environment.

Bamboo: How does the green gold of modern times help the environment

Bamboo is what we would like to call a superhero. The plant may act like grass in regard to its growth or place of cultivation, but it is nothing but green gold. Why? the answer is simple. Sustainability, renewability, optimism, no chemicals, and good looking: everything nature needs in a superhero to defeat plastic and its effects.

Renewable resource:

Bamboo takes one to five years to be completely harvested. This means that it is completely renewable and can grow rapidly as well. this is a huge boost to the environment. We can save up on all renewable sources by replacing them with bamboo products. For instance, if one were to design an office flooring, they would look to use hardwood flooring. Oak trees however take over forty years to mature. The forests also lose over 1 million acres every week due to deforestation. To save the forests, do your part and use the versatility of Bamboo as a substitute for a hardwood floor. The finish is bound to be on par or better.

Versatility: 

Anyone who thinks Bamboo is not versatile enough, they don't know the start of it. Bamboo is a direct replacement for wood and plastic for almost every application. From flooring to furniture, Bamboo can be used, and the good thing is no atmospheric mood swings will affect Bamboo.

Easy and Safe to Cultivate: 

Cash crops normally require a lot of pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides to help stimulate growth. However, Bamboo has a different story. The strength of the plant comes from within itself. A quality of a true superhero. When it comes to soil protection, Bamboo does it better than any plant. When deforestation takes place, the Stumps are burnt to induce fertilizers into the soil and create space for crops. However, this move allows the villains like soil erosion to come forward. This is just outright bad for the environment. The eroded soil can go on to clog rivers and affects the lives of people and animals who depend on those water bodies.

Bamboo on the other hand is like an anchor. They stand strong, prevent erosion and retain nutrients for a crop that takes its journey of life in that spot. Bamboo can also grow in various climatic conditions. They grow in regions where droughts are there. They can also be cultivated in low wetland or even higher mountain areas. Bamboo supremacy is what people should believe in.

Why should one choose Bamboo products over plastic?

Plastic products have been a problem for ages. Although Plastic is financially cheap, easy to produce, and is a part of everyday lives, Plastic is one of the biggest reasons for pollution. While people ignore the red flags that plastic causes, mother nature is losing its green.

Plastic is in every product we use. From toothbrushes to cell phones and even the plastic bags we use to buy groceries or materials in our car as well. However, what people don’t understand is that ignoring red signals for a few green ones is not exactly the way to a healthy relationship. The relationship between us humans and mother nature needs to be beautiful, long, and sustainable. Plastic is something that stands between us and that clean environment. It is unrealistic to completely remove plastic from the environment immediately, but every small step will count.

People need to be educated about how harmful plastic is. 50% of plastic products are never reused or recycled, they take about a thousand years to biodegrade, and they also use so much of the fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuels affects the planet’s carbon emission thus affecting the temperature causing climate change. It is not the only climate, but the oceans are also affected by plastic. Over 8 billion kilograms of plastic end up in the ocean every year.

Year after year these problems from plastic products get worse. Right now, the environment is in the worst conditions leading one to believe if the end is near. The climate changes caused have led to forest fires, heatwaves, the ocean being on fire, and this is just the beginning. If we were to take one small step by putting away a plastic bag or a plastic toothbrush and using a bamboo-made product it can make a difference. A million small differences can start a huge revolution and the step needs to start at home first. 

A few Bamboo Products to Start Using at Home

You are taking a road trip, or you are traveling by train, there are so many bamboo products one can use instead of plastic. One example coffee cups made from Bamboo. These cups are reusable, and they do not leak. The cup will not affect the taste of the drink or cause any unpleasant smell. This way you are protecting the environment and enjoying a wonderful brew. Bamboo Cutlery is also something that can be used. It not only looks nice but also has amazing durability and they are long-lasting

Bamboo Toothbrushes are another amazing product that can help reduce the use of plastic. Antibacterial bamboo are used in the making. A waterproof base is used for the coating. Chopping Boards and Plates are another wonderful way to reduce plastic use.

Bamboo Straws are taking the world by storm. A lot of people around the world began a movement to save the turtles and went on to buy metal straws. Instead of metal or plastic, the perfect solution would be to use bamboo. These straws look aesthetic, they are eco-friendly and reusable. Even when you do dispose of the straw, it does not degrade the environment. This is a win-win situation for both you and mother nature.

Bamboo products are the key to a plastic-free environment

It is important to understand that it’s easy to sit and pass comments or statements, but it is not easy to put words into action. People tend to talk about a topic because it’s trending and then move to the next incident that happens. The environmental changes and depletion of nature are no joke. It Is important as citizens to do our part and take that first step on our own to help heal the environment. So, pick up a bamboo straw or a bamboo cup and spread the word, so we can live and let live in a sustainable environment.