Do you think bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly wood and is always sustainably harvested?

Question

I just read some interesting information on this website:

http://bamboocentral.org/index1.htm

It sounds quite amazing when they talk about how many houses are built in Costa Rica using bamboo and how much forest it would take to build the equivalent number (see paragraph under "Saving Rainforests" ).

I am interested in possibly using bamboo for making jewelry pendants. I have tree prunings found in my neighborhood for this craft project, but saw some nice pre-cut, rectangular bamboo pieces on etsy.com for sale that I could use.

What do you think about bamboo? Thanks for any information, websites, or experience you have to share.

Answer 1

I can tell you that bamboo is hands-down much more sustainable than the softwood firs and pines, and probably much more sustainable than most the hardwoods. Most softwood and hardwood trees take 100+ years to develop good, straight-grained wood and cutting practices in my region (northwest US) allow for 40-60 years at most. Bamboo can also be grown in smaller patches to minimize the effects of erosion and fertilizer pollution.

I'd say its got its perks.

Answer 2

It's amazing how quickly bamboo grows! My family just built a house and they wanted to make sure it was eco-friendly so all the floors are bamboo hard wood.  It's so beautiful and it really can be stained to look like any other kind of wood.  I think bamboo jewelry would be a fantastic idea. And thanks for keeping the earth beautiful while you make people beautiful too!