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 |  Bamboo is truly one of nature's wonder plants. It grows incredibly quickly, and yet the mature stem material is harder and more rigid than most conventional hard wood timber. There are many different types of bamboo. The type used for commercial production is the Mao bamboo, which grows very tall and straight. Popular hardwood trees (e.g. Oak, Cherry or Teak) typically take 40 – 50 years to grow to maturity, whereas Moso bamboo stems reach their full height in about 2 years and mature hardness in about 4 years. Consider also that harvesting of a mature hardwood tree invariably kills the tree. In contrast, a bamboo plant consists of many individual stems, and harvesting of some of the stems does not kill the plant. Other stems grow from the base of the plant to replace the harvested stems. This makes bamboo ideally suited to sustainable utilization, and means that bamboo is a far more environmentally friendly choice of material than other types of hard wood. Forests of Mao bamboo are cultivated in commercial plantations, using sustainable forestry practices. Mature stems are harvested only once the new "replacement stems" have started growing. This means that the forested areas are never totally depleted. Harvesting of each plantation typically follows a 4 year cycle, allowing the stems to reach full maturity before harvesting. This sustainable harvesting model has won international recognition. Panda Bears are an endangered species, and some of our customers are understandably concerned that bamboo forestry may impact negatively on the Pandas' habitat. Please rest assured that this is not the case. Pandas eat a different species of bamboo, with short, thin stems and low-hanging leaves that the Pandas can easily reach. The Pandas' natural habitat is also in a different province, far from the areas where commercial cultivation of the Mao bamboo takes place. Deforestation arising from the harvesting of hardwood trees is a global environmental issue, and is a contributory factor to global warming. Bamboo is a fast replenishable natural resource with a positive carbon footprint. This means that the bamboo plant absorbs more CO2 during its growth than is released during the bamboo products manufacturing process. The bamboo boards are also manufactured with no VOC (volatile organic compounds). The use of bamboo board in place of hardwood timber can help to promote environmental stability and sustainability. Marble, granite and other types of stone are very popular for kitchen counter tops. Many people, however, are not aware of the huge scars left in the landscape by the quarries and mines from which this stone is cut. Rehabilitation of such areas is difficult or impossible to accomplish, leaving a legacy of environmental degradation. By using bamboo instead of stone for kitchen counter tops, the disturbance of our earth's surface can be reduced. |
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