green is universal

Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com

Bamboo, technically a grass, is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. It is a darling of the eco-friendly movement because it is highly durable, quickly renewable and a great strong, sustainable alternative to wood.

I recently visited a Long Island home with a backyard of tall bamboo shoots. The area was dense with 6 and 8 foot high bamboo reeds that had grown there in just the past month! Given bamboo's rapid growth, it can be quickly harvested in just 3-5 years as compared to the average 15 years of a typical tree. Bamboo not only grows quickly, but can be put to many uses in construction, in furniture manufacturing and as a fuel. Its stalks can be converted into fabric and clothing, and bamboo sprouts even make for a tasty edible dish. Few natural products can serve so many masters, so it's not surprising that bamboo has become an important natural resource for our eco-friendly lifestyle.

Now don't worry, I'm not going to show you how to cook bamboo, but I will let you know some great ways to cook with it and where to get the best bamboo products.

bambu is a very impressive "renewable ideas company" with a wide array of stylish organic bamboo kitchen products that affirm a commitment to innovative design, social responsibility, as well the environment. At every step of the manufacturing process, the company thinks not just of profit, but of the welfare of those who've help make their products possible, from the harvesters to the finishers in their factory. Their concern for the environment shows true as a member of 1% of the Planet, a group of business who each pledge a least 1% of net sales toward preservation and restoration of our natural world. Consumers should take heart knowing that with each bamboo purchase, you not only bring convenience and beauty into your home, but you're contributing great benefit to our environment.

My favorite bambu products:

• Chop, Scoop and Serve cutting board - an organic bamboo multitask board with scooped out area to pile the chopped scraps and then flip it to use as a serving board/cheese board with cracker well, these boards absorb little moisture which means less shrinking, warping or likelihood of bacteria growth. $32
• Veneerware - an organic bamboo alternative to a paper plate, it is sturdy, disposable and biodegrades on 4-6 months, 8 plates for $5.50
• Spoontulas - versatile half spoon, half spatula so you can stir, taste, spoon and mix to your green heart's content $15.95 (set of 3)

Green is often about making better choices. In the case of bamboo, we can choose to purchase high quality organic bamboo products and in turn help the planet. Sounds like a win win to me.

Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
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