Though generally known for its ornamental qualities, bamboo is becoming an excellent low impact farming opportunity. Popular in East and South East Asia, Bamboo is a versatile grass with species that can survive in diverse climates from cold mountains to hot tropical regions. Some species of bamboo can be used like wood, but have the advantage of growing 50 times faster than most trees. Unlike hard and softwood trees, bamboo can grow very quickly and can be harvested in only a few years. Depending on local soil and climate conditions, bamboo will commonly grow 3 to 6 inches per day, with some species growing up to 3 or 4 feet per day in preferable climates. These species can range from small one inch diameter poles up to larger 12 inch diameter bamboo that will grow 80 to 100 feet tall in 3 to 4 years.
Treated, bamboo is a very hard wood that is both lightweight and very durable. These qualities make bamboo an excellent construction material with a variety of applications such as fences, bridges, and furniture. Harvesting bamboo for wood requires care to select mature stems that are several years old. First-year bamboo stems, although fully sized, are not fully developed and are not as strong as more mature stems. This hard wood alternative is becoming increasingly popular in homes as bamboo flooring, providing a viable alternative to hard wood flooring.
Bamboo fibre has been used for centuries to make paper and more recently to make a host of yarn and fabric products. Bamboo fabric is soft and somewhat silky and has claims of natural antibacterial properties. The many uses of bamboo fibre are showing up in bamboo clothing, bamboo bed sheets, and bamboo towels. As the many uses of bamboo continue to increase, so too will the popularity of bamboo as an excellent low impact farming opportunity.
Our degree of exposure to household allergens, irritants, and chemicals is far greater today than in previous generations. We generally spend more time indoors and our homes are far more airtight (and energy efficient) than in previous generations. The array of household pollutants has also increased over the past decade. The air quality in your home may be compromised by lead (in old paints and in house dust), radon, formaldehyde, fire-retardants, and a host of volatile chemicals found in a variety of fragranced products and from common household cleaners. Add to this mix a variety of allergens from microscopic dust mites, mould, and pet dander. Some pollutants are tracked into the home, while some arrive via new furniture, carpet cleaners, or a coat of paint on the walls.
Retrofitting homes to make old homes more energy efficient makes good sense. Saving energy is good for both the pocket book and for the environment. But reducing the air exchange with the outdoors also helps to keep indoor pollutants indoors. Indoor allergens and irritants have become much more important in recent years as we are generally spending more time indoors and with modern homes being more airtight, these irritants can’t easily escape. Our degree of exposure to household allergens and irritants is far greater today than in previous generations. To ensure our good health and well being, we must take action to ensure good indoor air quality.
Environmentally conscious shoppers are used to bringing their own tote bags to the grocery store. This practice cuts down on the vast amounts of pollution associated with plastic bags, which aren’t conducive to biodegradation. You might have heard about a floating wasteland of plastic that’s nearly the size of Texas. By cutting down on the number of plastic bags you use during you routine grocery runs, you can help keep that mass of plastic from growing any larger.
Providing a healthy dinner for your family and keeping up with the mess can be a challenge. Perhaps even more of a challenge on those busy weeknights when it seems everyone in the family is going a different direction. On those busy nights I like to avoid the temptation of a quick take-out fix by planning ahead. What’s needed is an easy dinner and one that avoids a messy clean-up.
When choosing a shampoo, it can be difficult to differentiate between an all natural shampoo and a shampoo product that contains “some” natural ingredients. Product labelling can be confusing and the list of ingredients even more confusing. Just a quick check of the label, and knowing a few of the ingredients to look for, will help ensure you are buying an all natural shampoo product.