Protean- One who/which displays great versatility/is multi-functional in nature. What if we have a protean thing with us which also fits the sustainability bill? Let’s talk about plant named bamboo, and why it’s OG protean!
Before talking about its multiple uses, some facts that may leave you bamboozled- Fastest growing plant, releases more oxygen than others, tolerance to extreme weather conditions and can conduct electricity.
Come on, we know it is used in construction and for ornamental purposes and now in toothbrushes. What else could it possibly be used for?
It can possibly replace plastic dependence in a few things-
(1) Utensils- Every year 6 million tons of disposable cutlery are discarded, much of which ends up in the oceans. Instead, using bamboo cutlery which is durable and antibacterial can be beneficial both for the nature and the individual as utensils stay hygienic, whereas plastic utensils produce harmful by-products like oligomers, which can cause thyroid and liver problems.
(2) Electronic devices- The usual speakers are made up of plastic, metal and wires. They end up being part of toxic waste, which is non-degradable. Bamboo speakers, on the other hand, are recyclable and significantly reduce carbon footprint.
Bamboo can also be used to reduce dependence on wood-
(1) It grows much quicker than other wood, as it can reach maturity within 3-5 years. Trees take up to 30 years before the wood can be used. This makes bamboo one of the only materials which can keep up with human consumption.
(2) For its durability, bamboo can be used to make heavy furniture apart from common ones like chairs and tables.
(3) Bamboo pulp can be used to make paper, which is 100% bio-degradable. For context, most of the toilet paper used in the U.S. isn’t sustainable or recycled, it’s made with virgin wood pulp from the Canadian boreal forest.
Another vital use case of bamboo, where it has started to catch trend is fibers.
A T-shirt, which is wardrobe staple, needs around 27,000 litres of water to be produced, as it’s made of cotton. You may say we can wear polyester. Well, that involves plastic, coal and petroleum. This is where bamboo comes into picture. It uses less than 30% of the water to grow than cotton does per acre and the yield is at least 50 times of cotton, which means overall Bamboo t-shirt could use 150 times less water than cotton.
In fact, Bamboo’s extensive root system binds the soil, protecting against erosion, as well as drip-feeding excess water into the soil to raise the water table. Even its thermoregulatory effect helps wearer achieve paradoxical effect of being cool in summer and warm in winter.
You should choose bamboo, not just for its multiple uses, but for it being sustainable alternative to heavily dependent plastic, wood and cotton. Next time you go out or go online to buy anything, just consider looking out for a bamboo offering. Upwards and onwards, literally!
