Bamboo worktop?

1jim

Hi,
we are in the process of changing our kitchen around a little, one of our ideas was to have a hardwood worktop like oak, but we were concerned about the eco/green credentials we have since come across bamboo worktops and this claims to be very ecologically sound due to sustainable nature, has anyone any thoughts or indeed experience of this as a worksurface
thanks
Jim

mute_posting

Being (technically) a grass, bamboo is very fast growing, so I suppose quite sustainable.

I was "thinking" of having bamboo flooring instead of oak - I think it is pretty hard wearing. I have a feeling that IKEA may have just started doing a bamboo worktop - I have definitely seen it somewhere recently!

MP

Cardew

I have a bamboo board for kitchen use - chopping etc.

They need oiling regularly and I would have thought that a worktop would become difficult to keep clean and hygenic with a lot of use, and the inevitable scratches.

Why not granite? I always look upon granite as a sustainable resource - it just takes longer than bamboo by a few million years!

1jim

Cardew wrote: »

I have a bamboo board for kitchen use - chopping etc.

They need oiling regularly and I would have thought that a worktop would become difficult to keep clean and hygenic with a lot of use, and the inevitable scratches.

Why not granite? I always look upon granite as a sustainable resource - it just takes longer than bamboo by a few million years!

Thanks Cardew re the upkeep of the bamboo worktop, although Im not so sure that granite is quite so green and I did read somewhere that there were some concerns about the way the workers in the quarry have been treated. Although I do quite like the look of the granite the wood effect gets my vote everytime

freddykruggar

1jim wrote: »

Not very helpful but thanks for your input

As to your 2 questions
I have no desire to live on a beech or become cut off from modern life, what I do wish to do however, is where possible, make lifestyle choices that are less damaging to the planet, why have a manmade mdf/chipboard laminated worksurface when I can spend a little more and get a hardwood or bamboo worksurface which has less environemental impact? why use a computer... well again I dont want to be cut off from the outside world and the computer is a great tool for communicating/working and gaining/sharing information...what I do however is use a laptop which typically consumes less power than a pc.
It is in small steps like this that we can all make a small difference to our planet, now I am sure you are going to spout out the usual why make individual changes if india/china/usa dont engage in the process as they have a greater environmental impact than little old you, all I would say to that is that I wish to make these changes because every little does help and that is why I popped onto the green/ethical board to ask the above question and without meaning to be rude I would suggest that if your reply to everyone on this board who asks a "green" question is "why are you asking this using a computer" then please do not feel the need to post as I am sure we can all do without your valuable input....and god knows how much energy I have used on my evil laptop answering your post:rolleyes:

Arh I see, so as long as it suits you you dont mind damaging the planet, because at least you are doing something to help.... then you feel better. well done, how green you are.:rotfl:

As for popping on this board, I think its hillarious some of the things people say on here and how they bang on about being green aslong as they can keep there cars/mobiles/computers etc

the government is putting a very good spin on green issues because they can make alot of money from it, and people like you are just eager to line there pockets.

mute_posting

freddykruggar wrote: »

bang on about being green aslong as they can keep there cars/mobiles/computers etc.

Presumably you are posting on here via an environmentally friendly carrier pigeon trained to post via the forum servers at MSE towers that are running anyway?

freddykruggar

no I dont go on about being green, I live my life and if its green, all good but I aint rattling on about it.
I just think some people go on and on and on about saving the planet, aslong as they can keep there mobiles/tv/car etc.

All good if you want a chocolate/fudge (or whatever) worktop, but to say its for the envioronment isn't really true is it? Its choice.
If you where a true 'greeney' you'd be back living in a mud hut and washing your hair with clay etc.

geordie_joe

1jim wrote: »

why have a manmade mdf/chipboard laminated worksurface when I can spend a little more and get a hardwood or bamboo worksurface which has less environemental impact?

Jim, I agree with everything in your post, but I must question the one point I have quoted above.

Hardwood and bamboo may seem more environmentally friendly at first glance. But for decades we've been told that Panda bears are endangered because the Chinese are chopping down the bamboo. This was in a time when only the Chinese used it in great amounts and the rest of the world thought of it as a novelty.

Now the "greenies" have jumped on the bamboo band wagon the chinese are chopping it down in ever greater numbers and clearing natural habitat to make way for more bamboo. Plus it must produce a lot of CO2 to transport it half way round the world.

Hardwood is the same, forests are being cut down like there's no tomorrow just so people can have "green" items.

I don't think these two materials are as green as we would like to think they are.

freddykruggar

geordie_joe wrote: »

I don't think these two materials are as green as we would like to think they are.

I dont think they care about that, they just think "oooh thats green I'll buy it and I'm doing my bit"
People need to look at the wider picture if they want to be true "greenies"
otherwise your just passing the "damage" on further....

its fashion to be green at the minute, so people can say
" I do my bit to save the planet" but in reality it may be more harmful to produce these so called green products.

your either Green or not... which side are you on, there is no inbetween
I suspect most are not but just want to appear they are.

1jim

what rubbish
you have absolutly no idea about what I think! You dont know why I buy the products I do,
It may be fashionable to be green but that doesnt mean its the wrong thing to do, I dont have to live in a mud hut to care about the environment and there is absolutly nothing wrong about trying to minimise the impact I have on the environment.
You mention that I need to look at the bigger picture, so go on then tell me what bigger picture I should be looking at.
You say that you are either green or not green, your argument if flawed, it is entirly possible to say I care about the environment and will try and make small positive steps to minimise damage, eg I would like a computer so will get a laptop as they use less electricity, I would like a car so will get a fuel efficient one that is less polluting, I would like to eat meat so will buy local produce where possible, I would like to eat vegetables so will buy local or organic where possible (and grow my own), I want to wash my clothes so will purchase cleaning products that cause less problems to our ecosystem. These may be trendy, these may be the current trend but I can think of no rational reason why I should not make these choices where I can and would suggest your view of people having to live in a wood hut to be green is a very outdated and ipoorly informed

geordie_joe

freddykruggar wrote: »

your either Green or not... which side are you on, there is no inbetween
I suspect most are not but just want to appear they are.

Well I know people who just want to be seen to be green because it's fashionable, but I don't think everyone is like that.

I think a lot of people want to do their bit, but they read one thing is bad so change it for something just as bad, thinking they are doing the right thing.

being green is actually very difficult, you have to really think about what you are doing and what damage the alternatives will do. There are so many products on the market that claim to be green because..........., but don't mention the damage that product does in other ways.

I think a lot of times people can't do right for doing wrong.