5 Must-Have Bamboo Products for a Plastic-Free Lifestyle

by Simeon Nikolov on June 26, 2020

Our planet is in bad shape. Decades of plastic use and irresponsible use of natural resources have taken their toll on the environment. With increasing greenhouse gas emissions, the atmosphere is getting hotter. As a result, the global climate has become more turbulent and unpredictable. If this persists, it’s possible that the negative effects would be irreversible and in the worst-case scenario, all life on Earth could face the real danger of extinction.

 

Plastic Pollution

While it’s a grim scenario that we don’t look forward to, we can all agree that human activities contribute massively to all types of pollution in the air, water, and land. Perhaps the most blatant display of human-induced pollution is the use of plastic in our day-to-day life. Plastics are used everywhere from packaging to cutlery to electronic devices to pretty much every consumer product we use.

One of the main culprits is the use of disposable single-use plastics. Instead of being recycled or reused, they are being thrown away which adds to plastic waste and plastic pollution. Although there’s an over-reliance on products made of plastic, people are now looking for greener choices to reduce their carbon footprint. There is now an increased awareness of the negative effects of plastic use on the environment. In line with this, there’s a demand for a more environmentally friendly alternative.

 

Bamboo as a Sustainable Alternative to Plastic

There is now a movement that educates people about the impact of plastic pollution and teaches how to reduce their dependence on plastic products. It’s also worth noting that a growing number of companies and entrepreneurs who are embracing the green lifestyle are creating alternative products using bamboo as the main material.

Having greener choices helps consumers rethink their consumption patterns and find ways to help reduce their contribution to plastic pollution. This means finding products that are made of materials that are sustainably sourced and 100% biodegradable.

One of Earth’s natural resources that meet these two important criteria is the bamboo plant. It’s arguably the best alternative material for plastic for many products used at home. Bamboo ticks all the right boxes when it comes to what people and industries are looking for.

Why Bamboo?

  • Bamboo regenerates faster than traditional trees. It only takes about five years for bamboo grass to fully grow and mature for it to be harvested.
  • Bamboo is sustainable because whatever is harvested can be replaced.
  • Bamboo is 100% biodegradable. This means that even if they are disposed of, they will rot naturally and will not leave harmful remnants.
  • Bamboo’s proven durability makes it an ideal alternative to metal and hardwood which are used to build home infrastructures.
  • Bamboo helps reduce deforestation and forest degradation because bamboo does not need to be uprooted to be harvested. This means that the soil around the bamboo plant remains stable and is less likely to erode when there’s heavy storm or wind.
  • Bamboo produces more than 35% more oxygen than trees, which helps preserve biodiversity which is being threatened by excessive carbon dioxide emissions.
  • Bamboo is a good carbon sink. They absorb carbon dioxide equivalent to as much as 12 tons per hectare per year. This potentially gives bamboo a significant role in stabilizing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • Bamboo does not require pesticides or chemicals to grow so there’s less pollution and less harm to insects and animals.
  • Bamboo is less expensive than other materials so the consumer products made of bamboo tend to be much more affordable.

5 Bamboo Products for an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

Starting an eco-friendly lifestyle takes a lot of getting used to. It’s only hard in the beginning because you have to do your research and look for the right alternative products.

Switching to bamboo products means replacing what you have been accustomed to using most of your life. There will be a struggle to incorporate these new things because you still have brand loyalties and there’s still some resistance but once you go bamboo, you’ll never want to go back to using plastics.

To help you kickstart your environmentally friendly lifestyle, check out these 5 bamboo product that will make you rethink your shopping and purchase journey.

 

1. Bamboo Q-Tips

Made from sustainably grown bamboo and cotton materials, you’re guaranteed that these bamboo cotton buds are plastic-free and biodegradable. Using these bamboo cotton swabs may be a small step towards change, but you’d be surprised at how much you’ll reduce your carbon footprint when you use these bamboo Q-tips. Just make sure that the packaging is also eco-friendly. Boonboo cotton swabs are packaged in 100% biodegradable and recyclable cardboard packaging.

 

2. Bamboo Toilet Paper

Americans use an average of 14 rolls of toilet paper per capita per year or more than 7 billion rolls sold every year. Just imagine how many trees have to be cut down just to keep up with the demand. Switching to bamboo toilet paper will help save trees. Typically, eco-friendly toilet paper is made of a combination of sugarcane and bamboo which makes the product “tree-free”. Using bamboo toilet paper is no different from the regular toilet paper you use now so it’ll be an easy decision to switch to this greener alternative.

 

3. Bamboo Dental Floss

Regular dental floss is made of waxed nylon, which is a thermoplastic material that are melt-processed to form floss. It’s also neatly packed in mini plastic containers. It’s a double whammy of plastic waste and pollution.

Bamboo dental floss, on the other hand, is made of bamboo fibers. It’s durable but gentle when it glides between your teeth and gums. Even if you throw it away, it will naturally decompose so you don’t have to worry about it getting into the ocean or landfills.

Boonboo’s mint-flavored dental floss has activated charcoal and it’s coated with candelilla wax. It’s 100% vegan, tree-free, cruelty-free, and biodegradable.

 

4. Bamboo Drinking Straws

There’s an uptick in the use of reusable bamboo straws as an alternative to plastic and paper straws. In their own little ways, people are trying to make small changes in their activities to help save the environment. Bamboo drinking straws are 100% natural and biodegradable. They are also reusable so you don’t have to throw them away after use. But even if you throw them away, you know that they will decompose. They’re very safe to use because they don’t contain BPA or chemicals found in plastic straws.

 

5. Bamboo Facial Pad

These bamboo cleansing pads are made from natural bamboo and cotton materials. They can be used to remove make up and cleanse your skin. The pads are soft and gentle to the skin so they can be used daily without causing any harm to the skin. These washable and reusable bamboo facial pad is sustainable and biodegradable. They also come in eco-friendly packaging.

BACK TO TOP