Comments on: Domestic Bamboo Cultivation: Miracle Cure for US Agricultural Economy?

By: Dan Herr

Dan Herr — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:10:44 +0000

1)Water-laser cutting might be a good idea. Retooling would be necessary but it would need to be spread-sheeted in ROI terms.
2) The bamboo being cloned means that it is sterile. If it’s not a sterile clone there are GM options for sterile bamboo that would solve this problem. Importing bamboo as opposed to selling bamboo and carbon credits doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.

By: Bob Schildgen

Bob Schildgen — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:25:33 +0000

We should be extremely wary of any non-native species that is touted as a “miracle.” Some type of bamboo are invasive species that can choke out native vegetation. We’ve already got enough of problems like this, e.g. kudzu. We can get wood from sustainable forestry rather than take chances with bamboo.

By: Will McCracken

Will McCracken — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:12:01 +0000

Reading Gaia’s Garden I see some strong uses for bamboo in the perenial garden I’m doing in my backyard. First, my 1/2 backyard has a 3-4 degree southern tilt. Rather then invest much time in making swales, my thinking is that bamboo would fix the soil in place. Second, food. I love bamboo shoots which also seem to be a good way to control the spread of its rhiozomes. Third, although I’m not going to build things with it (unless I get REALLY ambitious), bamboo seems to me a great material for trellies, arches, etc.

Other crops I have now in-ground are tomatoes (of course), kale (non perenial right now), cabbage, artichoke, carrots, beets, radishes, rhubard, asparagus, tomatillos, leeks in straw-bale raised beds with above-ground potatoes in straw (a learning experience).

Thoughts?

By: James Pro

James Pro — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:50:34 +0000

I say lets try and reap the rewards of bamboo here in the us. As for saws I say use water-laser. If it can cut Thur one inch steel I think it can handle a little weed. water can be recycled Thur the system. and its safe and very fast. as for keeping everything in check, we can hire people who are looking for work to tend the fields and keep everything in order. 1.) It cleans up the air better than trees. 2.) It grows much faster than trees. 3.) Its more apt to hold the soil together when Hurricanes come. 4.) It has a lot more uses than patio furniture. 5.) Its a market that not every Tom Dick and Harry has here in the US. 6.) It will put Americans to work and thats the greatest fact of all… J.Pro

By: Paul Smith

Paul Smith — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:21:50 +0000

Good idea Nick. If machines have typically been geared to wood processing (at least here in the US) there would seem to be an opportunity to be a first mover on this. After all, the US is the biggest importer of bamboo products in the world at the moment. Entrepreneurs, you listening?

By: Nick Aster

Nick Aster — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:38:31 +0000

Sounds like an opportunity for someone to invent a better sawmill for Bamboo!

By: Paul Smith

Paul Smith — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:02:16 +0000

All valid points.
And I would think that with enough interest in it, equipment could start being made specifically for it. Balancing out initial expenses with short/long term savings due to reduced pesticide/water use, and it could have a chance. In the south, where cotton is withering as a viable option, this could work. Retool old cotton gins, invest in the right equipment, and it’s game on.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:27:56 +0000

The problem with bamboo cultivation (at least in their native habitats) is that it is quite literally a weed. If left unchecked it will overgrow the area and choke off other plant life.
It’s also extremely difficult to work with. My family owns a wood products factory and I’ve been thinking about getting into bamboo products for several years now. Unfortunately, it would require all new equipment as our existing saws would be worn down in no time by bamboo cutting. It’s also extremely labor intensive to work with, which means it’s pretty much impossible to manufacture anything out of bamboo in the states. That pretty much means we’d have to import anything made of bamboo (until someone really clever figures out a reliable way to automate bamboo processing) which probably negates any environmental benefit if we’re shipping it halfway across the world.