In the last few years, our environmental awareness grew pretty much at the same pace as the anti-plastic movement as well as the reliable alternatives to the crude oil based product. One of these alternatives is bamboo. As you may already know, bamboo is a plant that can grow 1at an incredibly fast rate - without the need for chemical products. Plus, bamboo also requires very little water and can grow in a very wide range of environments. All these characteristics make bamboo one of the most sustainable resources on earth.
How are bamboo products made?
Bamboo products are made of bamboo fiber, which is made through the mechanical process of beating the plant, therefore allowing natural enzymes to break it down into a soft mass, perfect for spinning into a cotton-like yarn.
Products made from bamboo fibers have a lot of beneficial qualities compared to products made of toxic substances like plastic.
The plant being an extremely durable, it lends itself to an unlimited amount of uses. Bamboo products are also cheap to produce, making them well-positioned to keep up with demand. As we know, plastic takes a long time to biodegrade - around a thousand years - but bamboo is 100% biodegradable.
How can I make an environmental difference?
A good place to start if we want to make a difference is our home. Many household items can be replaced without making a dramatic change. For instance, you might have plastic cutlery for these family moments when you go to the beach, or BBQs. These items can be replaced by bamboo products forks and knives. Same goes for straws. Personally, I started by replacing plastic straws by bamboo straws, and it felt great to not throw them thinking about the plastic island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
By making the switch, the list of items is endless. From bamboo straws and cutlery, to bamboo face rounds, to biodegradable cleaning products, lots and lots of household items can be replaced. Bamboo fiber can even be manufactured into bags and fabric, which is an eco-friendly alternative to cotton.
In my opinion, you just have to start by making a small change, and another one, and another one again. But at the base of it is awareness. Luckily, awareness about the matter is growing each and every day, and it does not look like the movement is going to stop.