Bamboo is a wonderful renewable resource. It is the fastest growing plant and it can grow nearly anywhere without the need for polluting fertilizers and pesticides. Nothing in nature has so many benefits for mankind (excepting maybe coconuts) and can be used in a diverse variety of ways.
Bamboo is special in that it contains a Kun substance that makes it resistant to pests and pathogens. This also makes bamboo products antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti –fungal. As you will read this makes bamboo very useful in the home. Another aspect of bamboo’s importance is that although it is a woody plant, it is very strong and can be worked like wood. Below is short list of bamboo products and their benefits
Bamboo flooring
Bamboo flooring is one of the best types of sustainable flooring. Strand woven bamboo flooring is as hard as oak and can withstand heavy traffic. Moreover it prevents dust mites and kills microbes. Bamboo is also resistant to mold.
Bamboo blinds
Bamboo blinds both inside the house and out can be used to improve privacy and insulation. Outside bamboo blinds also help to filter the harmful UV rays from the sun. Bamboo blinds and shades are easy to install, clean and maintain. They are also cheap.
Bamboo charcoal
Bamboo charcoal is sometimes called the ‘black diamond’ because it is so precious. Bamboo charcoal is not only a smokeless and odorless fuel, it is also highly absorbent. Bamboo charcoal can be used to remove unwanted smells from a home as well as excess humidity. It can be used as a water filter. Bamboo charcoal has also been shown to emit negative ions that can improve the mood of people in a home. It also gives off far infrared rays (‘the rays of life’) that improve the metabolism, promote cell growth, improve blood circulation and even treat serious disease.
Bamboo vinegar
It is a pity that bamboo vinegar is not more widely available outside of Eastern Asia where it has been used as medicine for thousands of years. It draws the poisons out of the body. Nowadays many people still use the healing powers of bamboo vinegar. In Asia over 18 million bamboo vinegar foot detox patches are sold per month. They are put on the feet overnight and are black in the morning with all the toxins they have drawn out the body.
Bamboo vinegar is so called because it is slightly acidic. This makes it a great green cleaning alternative to toxic and polluting cleaners. Bamboo vinegar can be used to clean toilets, floors and kitchen surfaces. It can also be used like regular vinegar to clean windows. Bamboo vinegar is a good weapon to fight mold and it is also makes a safe bug spray.
Bamboo charcoal soap
Bamboo charcoal can be combined with glycerin to make a soap that cleans the bottom of the pores in the skin. It also allows oils from the body to naturally moisturize the clean skin. Thus bamboo charcoal soap removes bags under the eyes and is ideal for those who suffer from acne and other dermatological problems.
The more that bamboo is used in the home and for other products the healthier mankind and nature become. It very hard to underestimate the importance of bamboo for the drive to make life better and more sustainable.