“Can Bamboo Save The Planet?” – Fr Vic, Filipino. Demonstrating, Now I Say, Among Species, Bamboo Is Man’s Single Best Weapon At Combatting Climate Change!

Until today, Thursday, 19 May 2022, I never thought more of the bamboo than as ready & sturdy & cheap material for cheap houses & furniture – a long way for fighting climate change!

At Facebook, I came across Pabs Villegas’ sharing on “Kabilin Nature Farms & Bamboo Center” whose founder is Fr Vic. Under the topic “Kabilin Bamboo” the question asked is, “Why plant bamboo?” From that source, even if dated 2 years ago, I can see the following list is still relevant in addressing climate change:

1.     “Bamboo absorbs and sequesters 400 times more carbon dioxide than any other plant.” This is extremely important because CO­₂ makes up 82% of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the GHGs being the combined primary cause of global warming.

2.     “Bamboo also releases into the atmosphere 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of hardwood trees.”

3.     “Bamboo is regenerative” (my rephrasing). “You plant bamboo only once and (it) regenerates itself by producing shoots.”

4.     “Bamboo grows the fastest. Some species grow by as much as 1-3 feet a day! No plant on the planet can grow faster.” It can be harvested within 5 years after planting. The shoots mature as timber in 3-4 years.

5.     “Bamboo grows and thrives almost everywhere.” No extra care necessary once it establishes itself.

6.     “Bamboo is peerless in preventing landslides and soil erosion.”

Bamboo is the perfect single species to lead the fight against climate change!

Not to mention: “Bamboo is most useful and versatile. Virtually every part of the plant is used to make a wide variety of products.” Examples: food, beverage, furniture, chopsticks, bridges, homes, clothes, beer “to almost anything one can imagine.”

So, what should the Department of Agriculture (DA) do now to help farmers towards “Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita” (Bounteous Harvests & Bountiful Income, my translation) simultaneous with combatting Climate Change?

I would advise Secretary of Agriculture William Dar for the DA to launch a new nationwide program for farmers to engage in agroforestry with bamboo and fruit trees in their farms – perhaps collaborate with the Department of Environment & Natural Resources for bamboo supplies.

Of course, bamboo can be the farmer’s main crop. After all, it has many uses and is of high quality material. According to Kabilin Bamboo (source cited above):

Bamboo is strong and durable. Properly grown, harvested, and treated, bamboo is an excellent replacement for wood for nearly every application: paper, flooring, furniture, charcoal, building materials, fuel and more! What's more, bamboo is fiber and is far stronger than wood. Some species are stronger than iron. This relieves pressure on our remaining rain forests as it serves as an alternative construction material.

Above, I note that “bamboo is peerless in preventing landslides and soil erosion.” That applies to both uplands and lowlands. This is especially noteworthy today when considering typhoons that destroy soils in the uplands and lowlands.

Farmers on the hills and in the valleys, do not underestimate the bamboo!@517