I first got in touch with bamboo during an Internship in Cambodia in early, 2016. Since then bamboo became an integrated part of my life, education and work experiences. Bamboo also encouraged me to research strongly in the field, by reading, interviewing and engaging with various actors around Asia, Europe and a bit South America.
Bamboo in German Woodworking Practices
Did you know that an innovation is only as good as it suits into the existing “established” system- a system that is based on current mashineries, customer and producer tasts but also the material it competes with. To understand how bamboo could suit into the system, I compared it to timber in German wood working practices
Bamboo straw production
Bamboo straws can be used as plastic straw replacement, they are not necessarily bacteria resistant, but provide a valuable income opportunity. Learn about an entire environmentally friendly and local production process
Bamboo a green building material and trade opportunity for Europe and Indonesia
Bamboo can play a crucial role for the European Green Deal, while also encouraging sustainable development between bamboo consumer and producer countries such as Indonesia. This paper looks at bamboo as a circular building opportunity, by identifying opportunities and barriers for its integration in the European market with a sustainability perspective. Opportunities relate to an increasing demand for bamboo as building material in Europe and Indonesia. Its mechanical features turn it into a suitable alternative to steel and other construction materials. Barriers relate to underdeveloped value chains, unclear regulations for the utilisation of bamboo and bamboos’ confusing classification as Non-Timber Forest Products in Indoensia. This makes its management, processing, legal sourcing and trade difficult.
Bamboo as livelihood opportunity in the Global South
Nestled in the north-east of India neighbouring Bangladesh, is Tripura, one of the smallest states in the country. It is home to 19 indigenous communities (known as Scheduled Tribes) that represent 30% of the population of the state. This is the story of Mira Das who makes incense sticks from bamboo and lifted her family out of poverty.
How sustainable is bamboo textile?
I love the fact that bamboo matures within 3-5 years, unlike cotton, does not need pesticides and helps for a variety of ecological functions. But how sustainable is the processing? Find out in my short methodological bamboo fiber processing research.
Racing towards a sustainable future
Can we create a sustainable automobile industry, by using bamboo fiber composites? Yes!
Can bamboo replace other construction materials?
Europe and many other regions of the world are faced by growing resource scarcity and an increasing need to transition towards a more sustainable construction industry. However, many buildings are built using the same conventional materials and new materials would need to move away from the existing material lock-in. I compared current building materials with new bamboo innovations that could be used as sustainable building alternative now and in the future
Growing the bamboo market in France
“There is a growing interest in bamboo in France, and we are seeing an increasing number of requests for advice on planting large bamboo surfaces, especially for the production of biomass. ”
Bamboo plays an essential role for the provision of livelihoods, but also environmental benefits and economic value in the Philippines
Bamboo Development in Malaysia
Currently 70 different bamboo species have been identified in Malaysia. There are about 16 bamboo species which can be used commercially; three species in particular, Gigantochloa scortechinii, Dendrocalamus asper and G. albociliata, play a major role in the production of strip-based flooring, charcoal and edible shoots, respectively.
AnnJoest 