Growing global issues—including pollution, resource scarcity and climate change—have put sustainable materials in the spotlight. Bamboo is one of these materials.
Bamboo – one of the fastest growing renewable natural resource is today widely acclaimed as the super material of the 21st century. It has immense economic potential given its diverse use. Bamboo is a good substitute to wood in mitigating pressure on natural forests. Bamboo is a family of grass – it matures in as little as 3 to 5 years much faster than hardwood trees which can take 20 years or more to reach maturity. It sends out new shoots after each harvest. It has unrivalled capacity to capture carbon and reclaims land. It protects steep slopes, soils and water ways, prevents soil erosion.
Bamboo has the potential to contribute to economic, social and cultural sustainability alongside ecological sustainability. This is because bamboo geographically coexists with poor communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Since it is easily available in their natural environment—and since bamboo has linear fibers and is easily processed with the most simple of tools—it has tremendous eco-income generation potential for these communities.
The fact that bamboo is a super material and has immense economic potential does need any reinforcement anymore. From bamboo flooring, bamboo home & outdoor furniture, bamboo weaving products and handicrafts to bamboo charcoal personal care & healthcare products and bamboo apparel, affordable and super premium eco homes to bamboo bicycles, bamboo beer, bamboo shoots, bamboo tea and luxury bamboo items like sunglasses, shoes, bags and more – bamboo has found usage in almost every walk to life.
China has been extremely successful in leveraging bamboo – the sector provides employment to over 35 million people and generates annual revenues in excess of US$ 15 billion. China is leading the global bamboo business market place with close to 50% share. Apart from China, other countries like Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam are making tremendous growth and progress in bamboo business.
India has the second largest reserves of bamboo in the world. Leveraging this can spur gainful employment and income generation especially in North East India which has over 66% of India’s bamboo reserves and where bamboo is an intrinsic part of the local culture.
On one side, the market for bamboo exists, and on the other side the resource—both labour and material—exists. The challenge is, and has been for quite some time now to bridge the gap between the two—production and market.
Green Gold Bamboo, India’s 1st and foremost digital platform is committed to enabling people and organizations “do good better” by leveraging the social, economic, and environmental advantages of Bamboo to drive socio-economic development at the bottom of the pyramid. It hopes to enable symbiotic relationships and collaboration amongst likeminded partners to build a strong and engaged community around SHARED VALUE knowledge and practice in moving the intersection of business growth and social impact in the bamboo sector.
Green Gold Bamboo Social Impact Initiative aims to build a meaningful bridge between marginalized communities especially in North East India, which has the largest reserves of Bamboo, and corporates by providing strategic guidance on bamboo and developing and managing high impact CSR programs.
The thematic areas: Education on the social, economic and environmental benefits of Bamboo, Bamboo Entrepreneurship & Skill Development, Skilling on Bamboo Cultivation, and Women Empowerment through income generation by producing home based Bamboo Crafts, Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation through use of Bamboo.
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Bamboo truly has a huge potential to positively impact sustainability. It is one of the highest yielding renewable natural resource, has immense business potential and holds great promise in generating income and employment, especially in the rural areas. It is imperative that we look beyond the conventional to actualize this potential.
