EdOnline

DESCRIPTION: The growing global population is creating an increased demand for resources. As a result, there is a need to replace fossil-based, nonrenewable building materials with more bio-based materials, such as bamboo. This course describes the properties of bamboo that make it a more sustainable choice, including its fast growth and CO2 saving and storing potential. It also discusses how active bamboo reforestation and the use of durable bamboo products can lead to CO2 reduction across many industries. OBJECTIVES: At the end of this program, participants will be able to: 1) discuss the circular economy principle and how bio-based materials have a better ecological profile over man-made materials, 2) investigate bamboo as a useful, fast-growing resource, and explain its growth characteristics and global distribution, 3) state the growth, harvesting, and manufacturing processes of giant bamboo to create durable industrialized bamboo materials, 4) list the associated CO2 emissions of each production step during the manufacturing of engineered bamboo and compare the overall carbon footprint of bamboo to other commonly used building materials, and 5) explain how carbon sequestration by reforesting with bamboo and the carbon locked in the bamboo durable product pool can help mitigate climate change.