Bamboo has become the leader in the green revolution lately. Once only known as the material used in funky window shades, today it is the material used in a diverse and varied manner including trendy flooring, bed sheets, clothes, furniture and even cabinets in the kitchen.The facts about bamboo are impressive. A grass, not wood, bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet -- some species can grow up to 1 meter per day. It matures and can be harvested every six years (a lumber tree can take 20 years), does not need to be replanted (it's generated from a system of roots), and grows on six continents, all of which makes bamboo a highly sustainable and rapidly renewable alternative to more traditional hardwoods. And then there's its strength: Bamboo is stronger than steel in tension, stronger than concrete in compression, and more stable than red oak.
The one thing the consumer must be aware of is that there is no grading sytem of bamboo yet so the quality can vary. Some companies use only the greenest of glues in the processing of bamboo but others use glues with high levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. You need to ask the supplier when you go looking for bamboo flooring because you basically get what you pay for.
The bed sheets and clothes made of bamboo are amazing. It is difficult to tell the difference between items made of bamboo and those made of materials that put the environment at risk. Go to just about any store and take a look at all of the great items you can buy today made of the greatest green product of the day, bamboo.
