Here’s another great green idea--plates and bowls made from bamboo.
What’s so great and what’s so green about it? Let’s start with the environmentally sound idea of using a raw material that comes from a natural resource that’s readily renewable.
(For more information about bamboo, please read our article
Bamboo: Green Screen And Oriental Cuisine)
Bamboo is a grass rather than a tree, and bamboo grows really fast! Not only this, but the amazing underground root system of the bamboo spreads laterally and puts up new shoots of bamboo.
And the crop of bamboo regenerates itself in about 4 years from the time it is harvested--now that’s fast--especially when compared to trees that can take up to 50 years and longer before a new crop is regrown!
Some of the bamboo is processed (using no chlorine bleach or environmentally harmful chemicals) into disposable dinner plates and bowls--much like other “paper plates” we’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
The difference is that the disposable bamboo plates are 100% tree free, biodegradable, and (as we have said) made from sustainable, quickly renewable and all natural raw materials.
Other more mature parts of the bamboo plates are processed into bowls, plates, and other kitchen utensils that might have been previously manufactured from metals, woods, ceramics, or other materials.
These bamboo products exhibit the visual features of some of the other ”made of wood” products in that the grain and natural beauty of the bamboo shows through. Many of these bamboo products are real showpieces and can be proudly displayed and utilized as elegant serving dishes in the finest kitchens and homes.
Not only does the bamboo regenerate itself much more quickly than trees do, but the wood of the bamboo is said to actually be stronger than maple and lighter than oak!
It is also said that the naturally grown bamboo has antiseptic qualities, making it a safe and natural choice for products that are to be utilized around the home and especially the kitchen.
The disposable bamboo dinner bowls that we bought and used were of the Ology (TM) brand and were distributed by Walgreens.com. These bowls were quite heavy duty and very serviceable. They were microwaveable, 100% tree free, made from readily renewable bamboo, and biodegradable.
Another great green living idea!
(Some of the information on this page came from the site: corebamboo.com)
