Bamboo shoots up the chart

louis · 2012-04-03 06:46:19

I have always advocated the merits of bamboo as a prime plant for Mars.

So I was pleased to see this article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17568088

"Bamboo is being hailed as a new super material, with uses ranging from textiles to construction. It also has the potential to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, the biggest greenhouse gas, and provide some of the world's poorest people with cash.

Bamboo's image is undergoing a transformation. Some now call it "the timber of the 21st Century". "

Void · 2012-04-06 07:12:39

http://www.lewisbamboo.com/cold-hardy-bamboo.html

http://www.bamboogrove.com/bamboo-paper.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=paper+fr … d=0CHAQsAQ

It would be nice if it was even more cold tollerant, but I am sure a greenhouse which limits it's coldest climate to that of an Iowa winter is possible on Mars.

I have always wondered how people would be able to maintain hygene on Mars without sanitary paper, such as kleenex, paper towel, and so on. And I don't think people who fly space ships would want to be doing the right hand left hand thing.

Paper from bamboo.

I also mention bamboo or other plants as evaporators. Water with grey or even worse water, and then let them eveporate more or less clean vapors into the greenhouse air, and then condense reasonably clean water using the Martian cold nights.

Obviously this is a case where Mars is way ahead of the Moon as a place to do it. So, less reason to divert to the Moon.

Rxke · 2012-04-06 11:09:12

Bamboo is an amazing material. just hunt on youtube for bamboo artists (lots of art, but also intricately crafted things one would consider impossible with 'normal' wood.

It's also very useable for tubing, and trasportation of various fluids, of course not as long lasting as pvc pipes, but you'd be amazed how long they last. Fotr a lot of applications plenty long.

My wife is a paper conservator and 'cuts' some of her precision tools (spatula) out of bamboo, incredibly flexible stuff if you cut it thin enough.

EDIT: I asked, and truth be told: buxus is even better for those spatula....

Last edited by Rxke (2012-04-06 11:14:59)

louis · 2012-04-06 14:58:09

Void wrote:

http://www.lewisbamboo.com/cold-hardy-bamboo.html
http://www.bamboogrove.com/bamboo-paper.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=paper+fr … d=0CHAQsAQ
It would be nice if it was even more cold tollerant, but I am sure a greenhouse which limits it's coldest climate to that of an Iowa winter is possible on Mars.
I have always wondered how people would be able to maintain hygene on Mars without sanitary paper, such as kleenex, paper towel, and so on. And I don't think people who fly space ships would want to be doing the right hand left hand thing.
Paper from bamboo.
I also mention bamboo or other plants as evaporators. Water with grey or even worse water, and then let them eveporate more or less clean vapors into the greenhouse air, and then condense reasonably clean water using the Martian cold nights.
Obviously this is a case where Mars is way ahead of the Moon as a place to do it. So, less reason to divert to the Moon.

I think we are talking internal agriculture for the bamboo.

Paper may be needed for a few purposes. I don't think it will be much required though. All written communication will be via laptops and local area networks/radio communication.

Toilet paper is not necessary as the Romans with their sponge on a stick demonstrated. I am sure we could come up with a space age equivalent. I understand astronauts use wipes (also for body washing) but I suspect manufacture of wipes is quite a complex process.

SpaceNut · 2012-04-06 21:05:25

Not to mention the added tonnage just to clean one's self....

Whats the temperature range that Bamboo needs to thrive?
What is the amount of lighting needed for good growth?
How much waste water could a grove treat?

louis · 2012-04-07 06:45:38

Here's a good guide to climate range for various species of bamboo.

http://uk.peeplo.com/search/?q=bamboo%2 … &from=adg4

The temperature range seems to go from tropical to teh sub-zero environment of the Himalayas. I presume the fastest growing plants are the tropical ones.

And from Wikipedia:

"Bamboos are some of the fastest growing plants in the world,[2] as some species have been recorded as growing up to 100 cm (39 in) within a 24 hour period due to a unique rhizome-dependent system."

100cms in 24 hour sounds the sort of plant we want and need on Mars.

Bamboo struts for construction work could be v. useful. Also, it could be used for flooring and panelling.

Bamboo is a remarkable plant.

Of course we don't know exactly how it will perform in Mars conditions but one suspect the tropical plants will respond strongly to light cues above the plant.

Void · 2012-04-07 11:11:21

OK, now I get to become public enemy #1.

Bamboo OK, fine, the pressurized gardens would be satisfying. The wood good. A sponge on a stick, ICK!

Have you considered Alergies? Runny noses. Well what if? What if a disease developes or is imported. And for clean up, paper products are valuable. And paper itself is not indespensible. Our paperless office where I write software for, is hardly so. I guess if you had to. But why limit yourselves.

I propose paper from Algae. Algae has no reason to manufacture cellulose, but could a type be created that would do so?

Pick one that is happy on cold brine like arctic sea water, one that likes about the solar flux that would exist in a greenhouse on Mars.

Make a nominally unpressurized greenhouse with a pool of cold brine in it. Maybe -2 degrees C or colder, up to the coldest temperature where that algae could be productive to it's maximum.

The point would be to generate Oxygen to be collected from the Greenhouse and Cellulose. From that paper, and fake wood as well. And the dried product could also be a fuel in a pinch, perhaps easily stored outside with minimal protection. Not a prefered fuel, just an option.

I know how responses occur here, bamboo is fine, but if this other thing could occur why not that as well.

louis · 2012-04-07 11:51:01

Void wrote:

OK, now I get to become public enemy #1.
Bamboo OK, fine, the pressurized gardens would be satisfying. The wood good. A sponge on a stick, ICK!
Have you considered Alergies? Runny noses. Well what if? What if a disease developes or is imported. And for clean up, paper products are valuable. And paper itself is not indespensible. Our paperless office where I write software for, is hardly so. I guess if you had to. But why limit yourselves.
I propose paper from Algae. Algae has no reason to manufacture cellulose, but could a type be created that would do so?
Pick one that is happy on cold brine like arctic sea water, one that likes about the solar flux that would exist in a greenhouse on Mars.
Make a nominally unpressurized greenhouse with a pool of cold brine in it. Maybe -2 degrees C or colder, up to the coldest temperature where that algae could be productive to it's maximum.
The point would be to generate Oxygen to be collected from the Greenhouse and Cellulose. From that paper, and fake wood as well. And the dried product could also be a fuel in a pinch, perhaps easily stored outside with minimal protection. Not a prefered fuel, just an option.
I know how responses occur here, bamboo is fine, but if this other thing could occur why not that as well.

Well I think the argument for virtual elimination of imported paper is one of mass - it's expensive to ship it in - and the argument against paper production on Mars is there are many other priorities which we should address first. There aren't really many arguments for paper use.

The sponge on the stick would be a high tec version of course and personalised! I'm thinking of maybe an antic-bacterial solution for storage.

For runny noses, the traditional washable handkerchief is a substitute. Again I think there would be a sanitary washing facility.

You can make paper from bamboo - not sure how soft it is! BUt I am sure we could grow crops from which we could make paper-like products. I just think we should minimise the amount required.
Remember you can use things like wipe over boards as well as laptops and hand held devices.

If you are concerned about disease I would have thought the last thing you want to start doing is introducing tanks of water.

I would hope that disease was not a great issue. Clearly all the first colonists would be medically screened in great detail. Disease organisms on Earth won't be taking off with the Mars Transfer Vehicle. All soils, seeds and fertilisers liquids would be closely screened for disease. Actually the lack of disease in space seems to be something of an issue for astronauts - their immune system is kind of "stood down" I think which means they are vulnerable on their return.

GW Johnson · 2012-04-08 15:53:46

There will always be a need for paper. I don't care how "electronic" we get, you will always have to have a permanent storage medium for critical data.

And, nothing will ever replace toilet paper.

If bamboo is good for those uses, then so be it.

GW

louis · 2012-04-08 17:02:12

GW Johnson wrote:

There will always be a need for paper. I don't care how "electronic" we get, you will always have to have a permanent storage medium for critical data.
And, nothing will ever replace toilet paper.
If bamboo is good for those uses, then so be it.
GW

GW -

Paper is only so-so as a permanent storage medium. It can be damaged by insects, water, fire and numerous other occurences.

I think permanent storage is better achieved by multiple device location, regular backing up on to memory keys and so on. The Mars colony can also send its data to Earth for storage there (and someone here pointed out before that one Mars's economic uses will be as the ultimate back-up for earth-origin data).

Paper is nice, and I am not saying there will be NO paper at all. But it will be pretty rare I think, used mainly for artwork, citations and certificates etc.

As for toilets, see this on the latest Japanese technology:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan

The Japanese washlet apparently allows users to dispense with toilet paper entirely. But maybe some combination of this and a hi-tech Roman stick would obviate the need for paper.

Rxke · 2012-04-08 17:14:15

louis wrote:

Paper is only so-so as a permanent storage medium. It can be damaged by insects, water, fire and numerous other occurences.

Friendly ribbing: You obviously don't work in the data-preservation industry, heehee!

At the moment, despite all precautions, and rah rah, digital is still *very* finicky for long term storage. You have to *actively* keep it 'fresh' or stuff gets unreadable in less than a decade.

On the other hand, I regularly work with paper documents that are hundreds years old, and nearly pristine, and no-one had to do a thing to keep them that way. Store dry and cool.
That's all.

Paper has one big advantage: it's 'human-readable' no machines needed. No software needed.

NASA has tapes it can't read back, they're barely 3 or four decades old. The tapes are okay. No-one builds the spare parts of the readers, so they have a problem.

The toilet part on the other hand is spot on, paper is soooo 19th c tech.

louis · 2012-04-08 19:56:15

Rxke wrote:

louis wrote:
Paper is only so-so as a permanent storage medium. It can be damaged by insects, water, fire and numerous other occurences.
Friendly ribbing: You obviously don't work in the data-preservation industry, heehee!
At the moment, despite all precautions, and rah rah, digital is still *very* finicky for long term storage. You have to *actively* keep it 'fresh' or stuff gets unreadable in less than a decade.
On the other hand, I regularly work with paper documents that are hundreds years old, and nearly pristine, and no-one had to do a thing to keep them that way. Store dry and cool.
That's all.
Paper has one big advantage: it's 'human-readable' no machines needed. No software needed.
NASA has tapes it can't read back, they're barely 3 or four decades old. The tapes are okay. No-one builds the spare parts of the readers, so they have a problem.

The toilet part on the other hand is spot on, paper is soooo 19th c tech.

I was aware that electronic data preservation is not perfect. But you can have a copy chain going, with data being copied every say 5 years at multiple locations. It doesn't get much safer than that.

I think the other point I would make as regards the early colony is concerned: what exactly is all this paper required for. There will be no stock exchange, insurance policies, court cases , newspapers etc etc. When you look around you at the paper in your room, you get an idea of what it relates to.

If we want a paper archive we simply send the data to earth for it to be printed on to paper there.

I like paper but I am not sure why anyone would think we need much of it on Mars, certainly not in the first few decades.

clark · 2012-04-12 21:42:15

origami, now forgotten art,
unfortunate is this empty fortune cookie-
I read an obituary for the Doodle, written with the stub of a number 2 pencil on our last napkin.
Please try not to spill.

Last edited by clark (2012-04-13 18:54:11)

RGClark · 2012-04-13 09:46:34

louis wrote:

"Bamboos are some of the fastest growing plants in the world,[2] as some species have been recorded as growing up to 100 cm (39 in) within a 24 hour period due to a unique rhizome-dependent system."
100cms in 24 hour sounds the sort of plant we want and need on Mars.

Yeah, I was amazed when I read that. Apparently it is true. Here's a BBC time lapse video showing the growth over a 24 hour period:

Bamboo Time Lapse Growth 24hrs c/o BBC World.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfDOMwFX5Hg

Bob Clark

Last edited by RGClark (2012-04-13 09:50:51)

GW Johnson · 2012-04-13 11:55:15

Bamboo is actually a decent structural material. Good strength/weight, and rather easy to work. Joining seems best done with lashings, actually.

You will have to have a place with air and water to grow it in. There's osmotic pressures of transpiration to consider, among many things.

I doubt we'll bio-engineer anything that could live outside until Mars is terraformed. The water vapor pressure problem is insoluble at 7 mbar dry CO2.

GW

louis · 2012-04-13 17:08:28

GW Johnson wrote:

Bamboo is actually a decent structural material. Good strength/weight, and rather easy to work. Joining seems best done with lashings, actually.
You will have to have a place with air and water to grow it in. There's osmotic pressures of transpiration to consider, among many things.
I doubt we'll bio-engineer anything that could live outside until Mars is terraformed. The water vapor pressure problem is insoluble at 7 mbar dry CO2.
GW

I agree - it's a lot easier to tend the plants without having to don a space suit in any case. The Japanese use (or used to use) bamboo for scaffolding on pretty tall structures.

JoshNH4H · 2012-07-23 22:38:29

First, a couple facts regarding the material strength of Bamboo:

Density: 400-800 kg/m^3 (Increases as plants get older)
Flexural strength (5 year old bamboo): 185 MPa
Flexural strength (1 year old bamboo): 120 MPa
Elastic Modulus (5 years): 13.4 GPa
Elastic Modulus: (1 year): 8.7 GPa
Compressive Strength (5 years): 87 MPa
Compressive Strength (1 year): 51 MPa
Tensile Strength: 350 MPa (Wikipedia; uncited)

Sources:

This thesis

Bamboo looks like a fairly decent construction material, but the question is always one of resources. For example, bamboo, like all plants, will not be very efficient at turning raw sunlight into electricity. Terraformer has suggested a figure of 1% efficiency for the fastest growing varieties (which may or may not have the strengths cited here), but I don't know what information he has to corroborate that. Wikipedia suggests that it is a reasonable value. We can get heat energy from concentrated sunlight at 75% plus efficiency and electrical energy from same at 15% efficiency.

We need to ask ourselves, what resources are required to turn bamboo into a construction material or into paper, and how do these compare with those required to make comparable materials chemically or physically instead of biologically? I would argue that due to low efficiency of plants and the significant resources involved in pressurized greenhouses, watering, and harvesting Bamboo (as well as the excess oxygen that would be produced beyond that needed for breathing; how would you separate it out from the rest of the atmosphere? Would you try to store it or would you just release it?)

If we're looking for a construction material, I suspect we will mostly be set between Steel, Basalt Fiber, Basalt Fiber composite (e.g with a polymer), icecrete (optionally composite with steel or basalt fiber), bricks, cast basalt, and glass fiber we will be able to obviate the need for basalt while replacing it with cheaper materials.

Paper is another matter. Bamboo is probably the best source material for paper, where it's needed. I propose something similar to (if not exactly the same as) a CD for electronic information storage, seeing as CDs tend to store fairly well over long periods of time.

SpaceNut · 2019-08-10 15:36:26

clark wrote:

origami, now forgotten art,
unfortunate is this empty fortune cookie-
I read an obituary for the Doodle, written with the stub of a number 2 pencil on our last napkin.
Please try not to spill.

Documenting our poetry will always look best in paperback form...

As

GW Johnson wrote:

There will always be a need for paper. I don't care how "electronic" we get, you will always have to have a permanent storage medium for critical data.
And, nothing will ever replace toilet paper.
If bamboo is good for those uses, then so be it.
GW

Plus what else can grow so fast....

Mars_B4_Moon · 2022-09-01 07:47:59

Maybe Mars will need a hardy plant, something that can survive cold or grow in low atmospheric pressure, and endure blasts from cosmic rays and solar storms, maybe bamboo is an answer.

Chinese sent a mission to the Moon with plant animal experiments inside a small Biosphere of their Rover, what other ideas were explored and can be done in the future?

Bamboo Flooring | House of Bamboo
https://www.archdaily.com/catalog/us/pr … -of-bamboo

The Crazy Real-Life Story Of Biosphere 2
https://www.grunge.com/311723/the-crazy … osphere-2/

Lunar Biosphere
https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/ … phere.html

Mars On Earth
https://biospherefoundation.org/project/mars-on-earth/
Mars On Earth is an ecological habitat that is designed to support humans on Mars but is located here, on Earth. The chambers will be operated and manned by 4 persons (at any given time) and will function as a the R & D center for a manned mission to Mars. This simulation of a sustainable biospheric life support base designed for Mars will be fine-tuned here on Earth so that it can be replicated on Mars for each crew of 4 persons. The closed life support systems will provide the necessary “test bed” for developing ecological space-based systems for water and wastewater recycling, food production, and air purification.

Bamboo houses
https://vietnamnet.vn/en/bamboo-houses- … 80781.html
Bamboo, clay and straw were traditionally used as building materials in rural Vietnam, when cement, brick and steel were not available.

3D Printing in Space With Moon Dust Is the Secret to Your Future Home on Mars
https://redshift.autodesk.com/articles/ … g-in-space

NASA's Swamp Works lab at the Kennedy Space Center is experimenting with novel new materials to make 3D printing in space a viable solution for building habitats on the moon and Mars.

Not sure if practical but it looks modern and he claims its a future space building?

This Mars-inspired multipurpose building defies conventional architecture to ignite our imagination!
https://www.yankodesign.com/2021/04/16/ … agination/
Seoul-based architecture studio Moon Hoon is known for designing whimsical and geometric buildings that take on unexpected angled roofs and contrasting color schemes. When a client asked him to create a residence that defied all traditional architecture conventions, Moon Hoon turned to outer space for inspiration. Mars is a multipurpose structure located in Hwaseong, South Korea that comprises three geometric blocks stacked on top of one another, almost appearing like a honeycomb gone wonky.

Bamboo is Louisiana jewelry maker’s go-to material
https://www.yourconroenews.com/news/art … 386271.php

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-09-01 07:53:28)

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-02-21 04:01:59

How to Repair a Bamboo Chair
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-ba … 80726.html
Bamboo is a smart choice for patio furniture

Constructing two-level nonlinear mixed-effects crown width models for Moso bamboo in China
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10 … 48?amp;amp

Bamboo lanterns and umbrellas illuminate streets of Yamaga city
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14839327

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-05-10 04:34:37

There will be precious forests of Mars part of a preserved reservation?

Austin company creates sustainable bamboo toilet paper to stop deforestation

https://www.kxan.com/weather/weather-bl … te-change/

The invention of bamboo toilet paper is important for the future for several reasons. Firstly, it offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional toilet paper, which is responsible for the destruction of millions of trees each year. By using bamboo instead of trees, the demand for traditional toilet paper can be reduced, thereby reducing deforestation and its negative impacts on the environment, such as loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and carbon emissions.

Secondly, bamboo is a fast-growing crop that requires less water and fewer resources to produce than traditional toilet paper. This means that bamboo toilet paper can be produced more sustainably and with a smaller ecological footprint than traditional toilet paper.

Lastly, the invention of bamboo toilet paper is important because it raises awareness about the need for sustainable alternatives in everyday products. As more people become aware of the environmental impacts of their purchasing decisions, they are likely to seek out more sustainable alternatives, leading to a shift towards a more sustainable economy and a healthier planet for future generations

kbd512 · 2023-05-10 10:42:14

Mars_B4_Moon,

If bamboo was a more practical alternative to wood pulp toilet paper, one would think that the Chinese would be all over this idea like flies on the stinky brown stuff that toilet paper cleans up. I would like to know where this bamboo crop is being grown. I'm guessing that they clear-cut an entire forest of trees to grow their more sustainable bamboo, unless they're shipping it in from China. I like the premise of the idea, but the devil is in the details.

Where are they growing this stuff?

How many acres of trees are they going to need to clear-cut to grow enough bamboo?

Flooding is not a problem because we shipped in more pure sustainable H2O to ensure that the entire place remains underwater at all times, thus removing any claims that flooding is problematic. Yeah, it's that kind of silliness.

Are they shipping in the product from the other side of the world? If so, then how sustainable is that?

Is bamboo TP cheaper than wood-pulp TP?

That's the most reliable indicator that bamboo is more sustainable. When something costs less money, it's usually because less land / labor / energy / capital went into making it. People claiming that their more expensive product is "more sustainable" are rich snobs, full stop. They can wipe their rear ends with gold leaf toilet paper, claiming that gold is more sustainable because only a literal handful of people can afford to use it.

These are the questions which require answers to know, rather than simply assert, that X is more sustainable than Y. We've proved that again and again with energy sources.

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-05-10 11:56:08

Kbd512 I think there are about 10 important Bamboo to remember one group is kinda graceful looking, the Panda survives on one family and it can also be a human source of protein, minerals and fiber. In regard to toilet paper I don't know what to expect them to do in other regions, I know in parts of S.Korea, Japan and China you still have poor people missed the wealth and opportunity of the big city and a people who will literally dig a hole and crap in the ground, in a more industrial part of Japan you might have no need for toilet paper and when you sit you will sit on this StarTrek type chair with foreign writing, it might even examine what you did and tell you that you need more vitamins or protein, your rearside will get blasted by hot water and hot air and there will be little need for toilet paper those who are unprepared for the experience say it can be like getting thrown in unprepared to a Car full-self-service CarWash! There is another species which have these fat looking stomachs I think its called 'Buddha Belly Bamboo' and traditional medicine witchdoctor people drain something from it and use it as a medicine or vitamin natural remedy thing, treatment of fever or digestive disorders, I don't believe its a true superstition voodoo 'witchdoctor' thing but the plant has something important inside that modern medicine can also use.

There are other species in the Americas like Chilean Bamboo, some species imported as invasive species that were nice then introduced to Australia going out of control and other are native Bamboo to the regions of America. Others like Fountain Bamboo look busy and their leaves are boiled to make tea. I think in Wooden Construction people at Hindu Temples in India or old Emperors in China might have used a type of Chinese Mountain Bamboo it s very tall like a tree and there is Giant Bamboo in Nepal, Bhutan that grows so big and fast it might put a hole in the roof of your 'Dome' it is also used in construction. There are also species of Bamboo which are hardy and can put up with 'Colds' and 'Low Level' Sunlight, there are also interesting species in northern Australia, the East Coast of North America and Madagascar but very little in North Africa, the Middle East or Europe other than being an ornamental plant in someone's home but I remember reading of a bamboo forest in France and in South Africa, there are species in Sri Lanka, Philippines and Vietnam that support the eco-system and another species is highly tolerant of drought. There is a Dwarf type which is flower like and yellowish and I also know a bunch of women who keep buying this 'Nice Looking' Bamboo plant but it never survives, it is probably imported from overseas and dies indoors after a year or it dies even quicker outside perhaps because it is more used to 'Warmer Temperate' or Moist 'Tropical Climate' but people also buy types of Bamboo because they 'Look Pretty', I can't remember the species name but I probably should remember it. Not that colors or Aesthetics is not useful or something that looks nice is un-important for example it something that looks nice might provide benefits like 'lifting morale' there are types which Japanese use locally and culturally for bamboo fencing and that particular 'Look'. I could not find the family order of Bamboo mentioned in the article but most are 'Bambuseae' Tribe Order I did find one of the names in another article 'Miami Beach' and 'Indonesia' but I did find another site which says they held the 1 spot on Amazon for Toilet Paper sales.

https://shoutoutmiami.com/meet-eugenia- … of-design/

I could not find any family name of bamboo mentioned other than him saying he's saving trees by chopping bamboo, I suspect whatever he grows is growing easily and naturally locally and I suspect he might not be giving up the name of exact plant a 'trade secret', information for the business only a practice or process of a business that is generally not known outside of the company.

I'm not sure how they can class the Bamboo of Mars, would they be classed for importance, maybe 'Food' type, medical benefits, material for construction and then finally what 'Looks Nice' and can also be processed into something else like chemicals, Ethanol, Biomass, Plastics or biofuel, we do not know yet if any Bamboo can grow inside a Mars Biosphere but I do not see why Bamboo would not grow.

kbd512 · 2023-05-10 17:46:41

Mars_B4_Moon,

The way I read that, you didn't answer the basic questions I asked.

Where is it grown?

Did they chop down an existing forest to plant bamboo instead of trees?

Is it comparable in cost to wood pulp toilet paper?

That's all we really need to know.

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-05-11 07:22:20

kbd512 wrote:

Where is it grown?

I do not know but they mentioned Miami in the article so I assume any good business would source their material locally

However if it were cost effective they could source from Asia, South Africa, Australia or Latin America or some other farmer that would compete with local market price vs costs of shipping

Here are sites that talk of Farming Bamboo Products in the USA
' The United States continues to be the largest importer of bamboo,'
https://bambubatu.com/bamboo-farming-in-the-us/

Dendrocalamus asper is another of the most important bamboo species worldwide. Many in Southeast Asia and Indonesia consider it the strongest of all bamboos. (But in South America they make the same claim about Guadua.) Asper poles are massive and excellent for construction. It also produced edible shoots. Like B. balcooa, it’s a tropical clumping bamboo that needs a warm climate to thrive and be economically viable.
Many farmers are now growing D. asper in Florida.

,

Bamboo is an alternative crop that can be grown for food, fuel, and furniture in most of the United States.

https://www.agriculture.com/family/livi … ing-bamboo

Landowners use it as a thick hedge between them and a dusty road, or to reduce erosion and keep nitrogen out of the streams. It’s also grown as a cash crop for poles, or shoots to sell to local food markets.

kbd512 wrote:

Is it comparable in cost to wood pulp toilet paper?

I believe at times bamboo can out perform traditional woods in costs, they say bamboo has a lot of cellulose, the main raw ingredient to make paper and it uses fewer chemicals to make 'pulp'

Here are two websites with claims

https://www.topbambooproducts.com/guide … boo-paper/

Bamboo is an Easily Renewable Resource.
With some varieties growing over a meter every day, bamboo is the only plant species in the world that grows quickly. Bamboo matures in 3 to 5 years or less, while trees take decades to recuperate after harvest. When bamboo is cut, the stems are left in the ground to re-sprout a new shoot and continue the growing cycle.
Bamboo Grows Well on Poor Soil.
Bamboo is among the few plants that can grow quickly and start the process of restoring nutrients to the soil in ecologically challenged locations where rainforests have been destroyed by burning and clear-cutting. Bamboo may grow in places where few other income crops can, such as on mountainsides and steep slopes.
Paper Made of Bamboo is Reusable.
Bamboo paper may be recycled, much as paper created from wood pulp, to lower our environmental footprint and lessen our need for trees.
Soil Erosion may be Reduced with Bamboo.
The bamboo plant’s rhizomes (roots) branch out from the stalk, helping to prevent soil erosion and preserve soil moisture. Also, this lessens the likelihood of silt clogging streams and rivers and harming aquatic life.

Process
https://paper-pulper.com/bamboo-pulp-making-process/

Compared with hardwood, bamboo has higher cellulose content and less miscellaneous cells, which makes its pulp index better than that of hardwood pulp.
Compared with the common straw of the family Poaceae used in papermaking, the advantages of bamboo in pulp production include higher cellulose content, less miscellaneous cells, longer fiber length, larger aspect ratio and less ash content. For example, the cellulose content of bamboo is 44-49%, and that of straw is 35-42%; the content of miscellaneous cells of bamboo is 10-16%, and that of straw is 30-60%; the ash content of bamboo is 1.2-1.9%, and that of straw is 4-14%.
The natural color bamboo pulp can be used to produce paper towel, toilet paper, lunch box, packaging paper, etc.; the bleached bamboo pulp can be used to produce writing paper, printing paper, etc.

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-05-11 07:39:34)

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#1 2012-04-03 06:46:19

Bamboo shoots up the chart

#2 2012-04-06 07:12:39

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#3 2012-04-06 11:09:12

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#4 2012-04-06 14:58:09

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#5 2012-04-06 21:05:25

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#6 2012-04-07 06:45:38

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#7 2012-04-07 11:11:21

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#8 2012-04-07 11:51:01

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#9 2012-04-08 15:53:46

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#10 2012-04-08 17:02:12

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#11 2012-04-08 17:14:15

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#12 2012-04-08 19:56:15

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#13 2012-04-12 21:42:15

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#14 2012-04-13 09:46:34

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#15 2012-04-13 11:55:15

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#16 2012-04-13 17:08:28

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#17 2012-07-23 22:38:29

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#18 2019-08-10 15:36:26

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#19 2022-09-01 07:47:59

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#20 2023-02-21 04:01:59

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#21 2023-05-10 04:34:37

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#22 2023-05-10 10:42:14

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#23 2023-05-10 11:56:08

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#24 2023-05-10 17:46:41

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

#25 2023-05-11 07:22:20

Re: Bamboo shoots up the chart

Board footer