Can Bamboo Help Fight Climate Change?
You’ve probably heard something by now about the eco-credentials of bamboo. You might know that it’s super-fast growing, that it doesn’t need any pesticides, or that it regenerates after being cut down. But just how much of a sustainability super-hero is bamboo? Read on to find out how bamboo can combat climate change, tackle deforestation and provide green products of the future.
Is Bamboo a Miracle Plant?
Bamboo is a true green hero when it comes to sustainable materials.
● It’s extremely fast-growing
● Requires no pesticides
● Can be harvested in 5 years
● Regenerates after harvesting
● Can be grown on marginal land
● Removes CO2 3.5% more effectively than other trees
● Stores up to 600 tones of carbon per hectare
In fact, bamboo is one of the most sustainable, renewable resources on the planet. It also has a multitude of uses. It can be used for building materials, food, fuel, clothing and a whole range of household products. Climate experts and policy-makers agree that bamboo can provide a significant contribution to combating climate change, especially in rural communities. Let’s take a look at this now.
Bamboo, a Nature-Based Solution to Climate Change
The world’s climate is changing rapidly. Global temperatures are rising, rainfall patterns are changing and the weather in many parts of the world has become more unpredictable and erratic than ever before. The effects of climate change are wide-ranging. Extreme weather events are increasing, natural ecosystems are changing, biodiversity is being lost and farming cycles are being disrupted. The climate crisis threatens people’s homes, food security, and livelihoods.
So how can bamboo
Nature is “one of the most effective ways” of combating climate change and should be part of every country’s climate strategy according to the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Anderson.
Nature-based solutions are actions that protect, restore and sustainably manage ecosystems whilst simultaneously addressing societal changes.
In terms of climate change, nature-based solutions can focus on reducing the emissions from deforestation and agricultural practices and enhance the ability of natural ecosystems to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Bamboo is one such nature-based solution, and a highly effective one too. There are several ways that bamboo can help. It can remove carbon from the atmosphere, replace the use of fossil fuels, reduce deforestation and restore degraded land. In addition to these environmental benefits, bamboo has many benefits for people too, especially for rural communities in the Global South.
Bamboo, Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration
Carbon Sequestration
Carbon sequestration, also known as carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is the name given to the process by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and held in either solid or liquid form. It can be a natural or artificial process.
Bamboo forests sequester carbon naturally, through absorbing Co2 from the atmosphere and storing it in their wood/biomass. As bamboo removes CO2 3.5% more effectively than other trees, their contribution to carbon sequestration has huge potential.
There is an estimated 30 million hectares of bamboo throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, storing vast amounts of carbon and this will increase as reforestation programs expand. Durable products made from bamboo also act as locked-in carbon sinks, storing carbon for several years.
Bamboo Forests
Bamboo and Deforestation
There are over 1000 species of bamboo, with the tallest plants able to grow up to 40 meters. Bamboo’s ability to reach maturity and regrow so quickly can take the pressure of other forest resources and thereby reduce deforestation. The fastest-growing bamboos reach maturity in only a couple of years compared to 50-60 years for trees.
Bamboo is harvested using a sustainable method that prevents the soil erosion commonly caused by other types of timber harvests. Once bamboo is harvested, new shoots will regrow and be ready for harvest in a couple of years.
Bamboo and Land Restoration
Bamboo is useful for restoring degraded land for several reasons.
● It is fast-growing and matures quickly
● It can be grown on steep slopes and land that is problematic for other crops
● Its roots regulate the flow of water and prevent soil erosion
● It acts as an effective windbreak
With land restoration projects being a key concern in many countries around the world, bamboo can act as a helpful tool. In India for example, 80,000 hectares of degraded land were brought back into productivity using bamboo as a pioneer species.
Bamboo and the Replacement of Fossil Fuels
It might be surprising to learn that bamboo is a sustainable source of bioenergy. It can be used directly as fuel-wood, modified into charcoal for cooking and heating, or converted into gas for thermal and electrical energy. Because it’s so fast-growing, bamboo has the potential to provide communities with a source of highly renewable biomass energy, therefore helping to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
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Sustainability and Bamboo
3 Pillars of Sustainability
1. Environmental: concerned with protecting and respecting natural resources and biodiversity
2. Social: Cncerned with human rights, seeking social justice and overcoming poverty and inequality
3. Economic: Concerned with the creation of stable economies.
As a sustainable material, bamboo can all help with
Environmental
No Pesticides
Bamboo can be grown without pesticides or fertilizers.
Carbon Sequestration
It removes CO2 3.5% more effectively than other trees
BioEnergy
Used for bioenergy, bamboo can reduce dependency on fossil fuels
Restoration
It restores degraded land.
Cleans the Air
Bamboo is an efficient tool for cleaning the air. A stand of bamboo is more effective than an equivalent size stand of trees at absorbing carbon dioxide and converting it to oxygen.
Fast Growing
Bamboo is fast-growing.
Multi-Functional
Bamboo has a multitude of uses.
Efficient
All parts of the plant can be used.
Creates Income
It can bolster agricultural economies, creating employment and income generation
Economic
Social
Adaptive
Bamboo can help communities adapt to the negative impact of climate change.
Support Livelihoods
Bamboo can support livelihoods by providing a sustainable source of income.
Value-Add Products
It can be converted into an increasingly wide variety of value-added products.
Affordable Housing
It can create flexible, strong, disaster-resistant housing
The International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) is an independent intergovernmental organization set up to develop and promote innovative solutions to poverty and environmental sustainability using bamboo and rattan. INBAR’s work around the world has shown that bamboo is an astounding resource with a unique potential to combat poverty and natural resource challenges.
Bamboo Products on the Rise
Bamboo lends itself to an estimated 10,000 documented uses – everything from furniture and paper to bamboo sheets, processed flooring, and climate-smart housing. Bamboo products are long-lasting, recyclable and can replace a wide variety of emissions-intensive materials like PVC, aluminum, steel, and concrete. Durable products made from bamboo can be considered carbon negative because they act as locked-in carbon sinks and also encourage the expansion of bamboo forests.
Bamboo is as strong as steel which makes it an excellent building material but to add to its repertoire of uses, this hard, strong plant can also be turned into a soft, silky fabric, one that can rival luxury fabrics like silk and cashmere. Bamboo fabric is fast becoming a popular choice for bedding and clothing products because of the unique softness, durability, breathability and moisture-wicking properties of the material.
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Bamboo for a Sustainable Future
In this unprecedented time of global climate change and ecological breakdown, bamboo is increasingly recognized as a viable solution and resource. It’s a truly incredible plant that can help curb climate change through carbon sequestration and generate benefits for people whilst restoring the land.
Bamboo is an excellent alternative to timber. Its ability to grow and mature quickly means that a much larger amount of material can be harvested per hectare compared to traditional hardwoods. Its ability to regenerate from its roots after harvesting means that the land does not have to be disturbed, leaving soil structure intact and reducing soil erosion. Combine this with the greater efficiency of bamboo to absorb carbon dioxide and you can see that bamboo is a fantastic sustainable material. Bamboo forests can store a vast amount of carbon helping to mitigate climate change.
There are over 1000 types of bamboo suited to a wide range of temperature and climatic conditions. This means it can be grown all around the world helping to restore land and limit the depletion of natural forests. And once harvested, bamboo can be turned into an increasing number of versatile products, replacing timber products as well as products made from petroleum-derived plastics.
At Positively Sustainable we are a big fan of bamboo and bamboo products. From bedding to flooring, choosing bamboo can help us to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. We look forward to seeing what new green products are created in the future from this incredibly versatile and sustainable material.
