Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring

Choosing the type of flooring in your house will often come down to price and aesthetics, and perhaps durability. However, with the current environmental problems we have, you may want to think of the environmental impact the different flooring options have as well. When it comes to bamboo, there is no better option. Read on to find out why.

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, and grows more than 10 times faster than most hardwood trees. It only takes about 5-6 years to be grown to a point where it can be harvested and after it´s harvested, bamboo grows back without having to be replanted. This is because each plant that has been harvested, known as a “mother plant” will grow several new stems. In just a few months these stems grow to full length, and another 5-6 years later, will be mature and ready for harvest. In contrast, Hardwood trees, can take up to 60 years to be fully grown, and each tree must be replanted. This in itself proves that bamboo is far more environmentally sustainable than any hardwood. However, there is more…

Bamboo is an excellent plant for the air we breathe. It creates 30 % more oxygen than a typical hardwood forest, and is known to reduce more carbon dioxide gases. Some measurements have calculated that it can remove up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare! Sounds like just what we need on planet earth.

Bamboo has a wide spread root system and a large canopy. This helps protect the land from erosion due to rain. The canopy of the bamboo acts as a shield or protector of the soil against hard rainfalls, while the roots hold the earth in place and suck up extra water. Bamboo also has a high nitrogen consumption, and is therefore conducive to removing unhealthy amounts of nitrogen in the soil resulting from livestock farming and sewage.

More than just growing quickly, bamboo also grows with ease. It can be planted in soil that has been damaged due to poor agricultural practices, and will help convert the land into high quality, nutrient rich soil.

Every day, more hardwood forests are being cleared, and replanting efforts are not nearly enough to replace what has been lost. Given the serious environmental problems that our planet is experiencing, it is more important each day to find more sustainable resources. Each and every person is responsible for making the right decisions to help reduce the strain we are causing to the environment. There are many things we can do to reduce this strain by making sound environmental choices in our homes, and using bamboo flooring is one small step in the right direction towards environmental sustainability. When you first decided to look for new types of flooring, most people don´t have the environment in mind. Now you know that you can make a difference, with a decision as small as choosing a type of flooring for your home.

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