Mar 30 2009
Bamboo: beautiful choice or bad idea?
I read this post at Crafting a Green World on the pros/cons of using bamboo. As with everything, there are choices to make, and it’s good to read labels and know, as best we can, where the things we buy come from, and what those companies environmental standards are. At my house, we’ve thought about (down the road) installing hardwood floors, and I wondered if bamboo might be a good choice. Really though, we don’t need a new floor at the moment, and it would be more green NOT to have to dispose of our current flooring.
What are your thoughts on the bamboo? Is it as renewable as we think?
What??? You mean, there is no perfect system for being eco-friendly? I can’t just shut off my brain and press “repeat” on any particular idea or method or practice of green-ness? BOO!
Specifically, it’s really sad about the over-harvesting of bamboo. It’s weird how humans are so voracious. We find something we like and then we want it ALL THE TIME. (I include myself among the “most guilty” crew here.)
I still think bamboo flooring/furniture/etc. is probably the way to go. And, hey, there’s potential for job growth (people to certify appropriate bamboo-growing methods, et al), so that’s never a bad thing. But, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for information about how certain bamboo clothing/linens are manufactured.
Lastly, point well taken, BFU, that it’d be pretty silly of me to rush out and buy new bamboo/organic cotton/hemp sheets for my bed if I already have plenty of standard ones at home. In other words, there’s nothing more eco-friendly than conscious consumerism and not buying more than you need!