The Green

Bamboo = "a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Some of its members are giants, forming by far the largest members of the grass family. New shoots of some of the larger species can grow over 1 meter per day. They are of economic and high cultural significance in East Asia and South East Asia where they are used extensively in gardens, as a building material and as a food source.

"There are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo. They are found in diverse climates, from cold mountains to hot tropical regions. They occur across East Asia, from 50°N latitude in Sakhalin through to northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalaya. They also occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and in the Americas from the southeast of the United States south to Argentina and Chile, there reaching their furthest south anywhere, at 47°S latitude. Major areas with no native bamboos include Europe, north Africa, western Asia, Canada, most of Australia, and Antarctica."
(Wikipedia) [en.wikipedia.org]

Bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly sustainable [www.sundancechannel.com] resources on the planet. As the fastest growing woody plant, growing one third faster than the fastest growing tree, bamboo is an enduring natural resource [www.sundancechannel.com] that can be harvested selectively annually. Its diverse species, versatility and short growth cycle makes it adaptable to many different environments.

Sundance Channel's Eco-mmunity and TONIC teamed up to make a difference for people and the global environment [www.sundancechannel.com]. TONIC partners with secular non-profits who make huge differences in four key areas: the environment [www.sundancechannel.com], education, health care and human rights. Each of TONIC's exclusive, organically-made bamboo and cotton tees helps to fund the purchase of 3 mosquito bed nets for families in Africa, a full year's education for 3 children in India or the planting of 25 trees in North America or helps to supply one person in Nepal or Honduras with access to clean water, latrines, and hygiene education. More... [www.sundancechannel.com]

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According to SWICOFIL [www.swicofil.com], bamboo
- is a critical element in the balance of oxygen/carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- is the fastest growing canopy for the re-greening of degraded areas and generates more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees. Bamboo provided the first re-greening in Hiroshima after the atomic blast in 1945.
- lowers light intensity and protects against ultraviolet rays and is an atmospheric and soil purifier.
- is one of the strongest building materials, a viable replacement for wood. Its tensile strength is 28,000 per square inch versus 23,000 for steel.
- is an essential structural material in earthquake architecture. In Limon, Costa Rica, only the bamboo houses from the National Bamboo Project stood after their violent earthquake in 1992. Flexible and lightweight bamboo enables structures to "dance" in earthquakes.
- is a food source. Bamboo shoots provide nutrition for millions of people, animals and fish worldwide. In Japan, the antioxidant properties of pulverized bamboo bark prevents bacterial growth. It is also used as a natural food preservative.
- is both lighter and stronger than traditional materials. Some skateboard, surfboard and snowboard manufacturers use bamboo to create a better-performing, not to mention eco-friendlier, product.

For more enlightening factoids about the merits of bamboo, please visit SWICOFIL [www.swicofil.com].