Eco-Friendly Bamboo Bicycles Generate Global Footprint

Readers adored our recent story about the growth of bicycling in America, even among the stylish girls.

We return today with an even better story about bamboocycles, designed by Diego Cárdenas , an industrial designer based in Mexico City. Replacing the body of the bicycle with bamboo reduces energy and emissions of CO2 while generating 30% more of oxygen. 

“Bamboo is a biodegradable & renewable resource that can be sustainably harvested as it grows quickly and naturally without much maintenance. In addition, it can completely regenerate without replanting, requires no pesticides or other chemicals it has its own antibacterial agent and grows so easily that even tolerates drought and flood conditions. Because of its rapid growth and root structure, bamboo prevents soil erosion and, in a very short time, aid recovery from overgrazing torn land, rebuilding and cleaning the floor of toxins. We couldn’t think of any other material more appropriate for the design.” Diego Cárdenas via Yatzer

Googling for the bamboocycles website, we have stepped off the proverbial slippery slope into the wonderful world of bamboo. AOC is not so behind the curve that we don’t know about bamboo’s green credentials. Anne’s New York apartment has bamboo floors and cabinetry.

We are surprised to learn that bamboo bikes are a big deal, with instructions on how to build one yourself from SustainLane.  There are multiple suppliers of bamboo bikes available on Google, but the one that caught our eye is Bamboosero Bamboo Bicycles, started by Craig Calfee, a professional frame designer who builds bikes for professional racers like Greg Lamond.

Craig connects bike builders in developing countries with bike buyers like us. Everything comes around the circle of life, and now we end up at the Bamboo Bike Project, sponsored by the Scientists and Engineers at The Earth Institute at Columbia University. Their goal is to make bamboo bikes a sustainable form of transportation in Africa.

We’re clear that a major feature story on bamboo just became a high priority. This is all good stuff!

Images via Yatzer.