"A Zen master, when asked where he would go after he died,

replied, 'To Hell, for that's where help is needed most."



— Roshi Philip Kapleau





Monday, May 2, 2011

sustainable flooring

Bamboo, which is actually considered a grass instead of a tree, grows much more quickly than most types of hardwood. Usually the bamboo is harvested between three and six years. Compare that to hardwood trees which can take anywhere from 40 years to 120 years to mature. That’s a big difference obviously and is the main reason it is considered such a good Eco friendly option to hardwood.
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth; it has been measured surging skyward as fast as 100 cm (39 in) in a 24-hour period. Primarily growing in regions of warmer climates during the Cretaceous period, vast fields existed in what is now Asia.





Unlike trees, all bamboo have the potential to grow to full height and girth in a single growing season of 3–4 months. During this first season, the clump of young shoots grow vertically, with no branching. In the next year, the pulpy wall of each culm or stem slowly dries and hardens. The culm begins to sprout branches and leaves from each node. During the third year, the culm further hardens. The shoot is now considered a fully mature culm. Over the next 2–5 years (depending on species), fungus and mould begin to form on the outside of the culm, which eventually penetrate and overcome the culm. Around 5 – 8 years later (species and climate dependent), the fungal and mold growth cause the culm to collapse and decay. This brief life means culms are ready for harvest and suitable for use in construction within about 3 – 7 years.

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