Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world's ability to deal with them. Every year approximately 348 million tones of plastic stuff are produced, and 60% – 80% of plastic waste found in the ocean, beaches annually. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people's livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being.
To stop plastic pollution, the key is to find suitable alternatives. For some time now, from small disposable drinking straws to large drainage pipes, bamboo products are becoming an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic products in many fields such as packaging, construction, transportation, and the chemical industry.
Bamboo is a plant, which is completely eco-friendly. It is a faster-growing plant compared to others with less need for pesticides and herbicides for planting. And most importantly that bamboo is a completely biodegradable and compostable material that is never harmful to nature.
There are some usable bamboo products that can easily replace plastic products in our daily life.
Bamboo toothbrush
99% of all toothbrushes in the world are made from plastic. And each year, we throw away over 3 billion plastic toothbrushes that never get recycled. These end up in landfill or the ocean, polluting the earth and posing a risk to marine life. Thankfully, there is an environmentally friendly alternative -- bamboo toothbrush.
Switching to a bamboo toothbrush is a simple way to reduce your use of plastic at home. Made from natural bamboo wood, the handle of the toothbrush is 100% biodegradable. It can be safely discarded by returning it to the ground in compost or landfill.
Bamboo kitchen utensils
A generally acknowledged fact is that plastic utensils are not safe. Plastic materials tend to produce chemicals that are detrimental to both the environment and humans when heated. Bamboo utensils are great alternatives to plastic. They are non-toxic, eco-friendly, organic, and healthier for humans. Bamboo cutlery is also more durable and stronger than plastic cutlery. Plastic cutlery easily breaks and becomes waste. While bamboo is strong, withstanding pressure from both adults and kids.
Bamboo Cup
All plastics in today's market are manufactured using BPA, an industrial chemical, which will leech into liquids or water while having hot beverages. Bamboo cups are non-toxic, eco-friendly, and FDA-approved cups that are made from natural bamboo fiber. It is a good choice if you are looking for lightweight and eco-friendly drinking cups. They are durable as well and can be used to serve both hot and cold beverages. Further, they won't shatter like ceramic or glass cups when thrown or dropped on a hard surface, good for kids' use.
Bamboo is versatile, besides daily necessities, they are widely used in industry as well, like bamboo furniture, bamboo decking and flooring, etc. Nowadays, many countries have started to enact legislation to curb single-use plastics, and launched "bamboo instead of plastic" initiative.
Using bamboo products to replace plastic is a great way to reduce your plastic waste. It may seem like a small reduction, but it’s a decrease nonetheless. If done collectively, we can make a big dent in the growing plastic waste on our planet. With every item you swap with eco-friendly alternatives, you’re giving earth a big favor. Future needs bamboo, make it happen.
