We previously wrote about algae's ability to capture carbon emissions quickly and how we can grow them in ponds pretty much all over the world to not only achieve decarbonization goals, but also to feed ourselves more sustainably.

With bamboo is sort of a similar story, as this plant grows very quickly, consuming a lot of carbon dioxide in the process and while eating it is a bit more difficult, we can definitely use bamboo as an alternative raw material to trees.

Reel Paper is one of the companies that bets on bamboo as the sustainable alternative for the paper-making industry. The company makes use of bamboo, instead of trees, to reduce the environmental impact on the ecosystems. Being the fastest-growing plant on Earth, at over one meter per day, bamboo truly has the power to help us produce toilet paper with a minimal impact on the environment.

How much CO2 can bamboo capture

Compared to a common forest spanning across a hectare, which can capture 750 tons of CO2, the same surface covered in bamboo can capture 1.000 tons. But it's not just the amount, it's the speed, as well, since bamboo grows much faster than regular trees.

However, bamboo is not quite as widespread as algae. It mostly grows in Asia, Africa, South America and parts of North America. This sort of limits the worldwide potential of the plant, compared to algae, which grows virtually anywhere, as it's found all over our seas and oceans.

India is one of the countries that plans to use bamboo as a fast and effective way of dealing with CO2 emissions, as it seeks to become more sustainable. Through future bamboo forests, country officials said that they could add a carbon sink that can capture around 2.5-3 gigatons of carbon emissions by 2030.

Back to the benefits of growing bamboo, it is a plant that has a naturally great protection against insects and fungus, so it doesn't need specific treatments. Farmers who grow bamboo only need to plant it and let it grow. Since its roots remain in the ground, the plant grows continuously after it's been harvested and after 3-4 years, it doesn't even need as much water, since the root matured enough to find supplies in deeper levels.

Bamboo canes can be harvested after 5 or 7 years, when the plant reaches full maturity. This allows the smaller canes that pop around the base to grow faster. Furthermore, farmers can harvest at least 25% of the crop without needing to replant, as the bamboo forest will regenerate itself naturally.

Trees, on the other hand, need much more careful management. Pine trees, for example, need 30 years to grow fully before they can be harvested for maximum efficiency. For oaks, even more time is needed, as much as 80 years. Not to mention that new trees must be planted in the place of the old ones.

Despite being effectively a type of grass, bamboo develops a strong and complex network of roots, given enough time. This helps prevent soil erosion and can help in case of abundant rainfall. There are around 1,500 species of bamboo worldwide, spanning from small plants that grow to only one centimeter wide to giant bamboo that resemble trees, rather than grass, growing up to 30 meters in height.

Products made from bamboo

China is one of the world's nations for which bamboo plays an important part of the economy and carbon emissions goals. Back in 2020, China had around 6.8 million hectares of bamboo, placing it second to India's forests, amounting to over 11 million hectares. To China, bamboo is not just a carbon sink, but also a great raw material resource. The strong and durable material can act as a replacement for timber and even concrete and steel.

Among the products that can be made from bamboo are musical instruments, such as drum sticks, flutes and the xylophone. Sports products can be manufactured from it, as well, given its durability. Thus, skateboards, protection helmets and baseball bats are some of the goods manufactured sustainably in this industry using bamboo as a replacement for hard plastic, for example.

Furniture is also a big one, but soft products and foods and beverages are no exception, either. This means that bamboo can be used to make reusable makeup removal pads, pillows, towels and even beer, salt or tea.

This multi-purpose plant has a lot of potential, not only to help us reach our climate goals, but also to help manufacture sustainable and durable products. Protecting and expanding the world's bamboo forests will play a major role in the future of our climate and lowering our carbon footprint.