From LiveMint.com – part of the Wall Street Journal group:

Given the increasing fragility of the earth, opting for green designs makes both aesthetic and ecological sense. However, choosing from a plethora of natural materials can be bewildering if you don’t know what you are looking at. Here are some “green” materials and their uses.

BAMBOO

This grass species is an extremely versatile material with more than 1,500 documented uses. Being one of the fastest growing plants in the world, it takes three-five years to mature compared with most wood species, which take between 12 and 20 years. Another advantage is that bamboo can grow even on infertile land. It is a viable alternative to wood, with certain species exhibiting strength and physical characteristics comparable with wood. Its extensive roots bind soil together and its rapidly growing green cover releases the much needed oxygen into the air. Bamboo can be worked on easily and is used to craft a wide variety of home products. New technological innovations have resulted in hi-tech industrial products such as laminated bamboo flooring, reconstituted bamboo board and corrugated bamboo mat roofing. Slats of bamboo, in varying degrees of thickness, are woven together to make the ubiquitous chiks (blinds) so common in hot and humid climates.

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