By Tinashe Chidau and Tichaona Kamikani.
This article continues to answer the question ‘Why bamboo?’ This particular response argues that bamboo has attributes requisite for environmental restoration and preservation; and excellent climate change mitigation and adaptation uses.
In arguing the case for bamboo, we have to tackle more questions. In this instance we need to get an appreciation of why we need to restore and preserve the environment; and why we should be concerned with climate change? Once we dissect these concerns and are agreed that indeed they deserve our urgent attention, the next logical thing will be to look for the best way to attend to them.
In creating a river channel, water follows the path of least resistance. Nature shows us solutions in abundance to any and every challenge that we may face now or later, if only we would stop complicating things for ourselves, and just notice, observe, learn.
In an attempt to solve the environment and climate questions we should thus, arrive at solutions in the ‘easiest possible’ way.
Science has determined that wherever there is a population, for interactions, progress or development to take place nature creates systems, thus, a systems approach to understanding the way of things.
For instance, Earth is part of the Solar System with other planets which all revolve around the Sun.
The Solar System is also but a part of the bigger system known as the Universe.
Without systems there would be total chaos. Imagine not being able to know if the Sun will rise tomorrow. Would you be able to plan anything? Systems ensure predictable performance, balance and sustainability.
Transport systems, financial systems, farming systems, production systems; all these are based on predictably, balance and sustainability.
Our natural environment is a complex web of ecosystems that ensure basic survival. The air we breathe, the water we use, the soil for farming etc…
Now the folly of mankind has been the inconsiderate entrapment in financial gain systems.
Perhaps only those with a sense of compassion would care an iota about the environment and ecosystems. In our quest for wealth, status and power, we have inevitably come to take nature’s systems for granted as we plunder its resources for personal gain.
Systems rely on balance to function effectively and efficiently. Our rate of exploitation (or even of negligence) is seeing to it that balance is being lost in nature. We are in effect destroying our environment through commercial harvesting of natural forests, releasing huge amounts of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, dumping chemicals into waterways, poaching sand etc… We will never know the importance of clean air until we run out of oxygen.
Or do we assume oxygen will never run out?
The human tragedy in consciously and unconsciously unbalancing our environment will haunt us if we do not acquaint ourselves with and appreciate the consequences.
Trees, through photosynthesis provide the air that we breathe. Trees need good soils in which to grow, they need water, they need insects to pollinate their flowers, birds to disperse their seeds for more trees to grow.
The demand for oxygen increases in tandem with the increase in respiring populations globally.
That is a classic ecosystem for you right there. Trees also provide food, homes and shelter for many birds, animal and plant species besides providing countless other harvested forest resources for human populations living in and around them.
Now imagine the prevailing reality. We are cutting down trees and natural forests for our human wants and needs. Dear readers, do you still assume that we will always have enough oxygen to breathe?
To others climate change is nothing but an abstract concept and idea. Our ignorance and arrogance in the face of reality can indeed be so astounding.
Here in Zimbabwe, ask the folk in Chimanimani and what you will hear are harrowing tales of disaster, loss, heartbreak and calamity. Cyclone IDAI unraveled and ravished mercilessly.
‘According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Africa is the most vulnerable region in the world in terms of impacts of climate change.
Africa is projected to have the greatest decreases in overall rainfall on our planet over the next 80 years. Scary isn’t, given that hundreds of millions of people in Africa depend on rainfall to grow their food (Kickstart International).
Prudently but in a simple manner, we have ask ourselves and answer to the question ‘what is behind this frightening climate change?’
The answer lies in disturbed ecosystems. Global warming is causing climate change. The accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere is causing global warming.
With rising temperatures seasons are changing and this is changing and affecting rainfall systems and patterns leading to the increasing incidents of droughts and flooding, the El Ninos and La Ninas. Global warming is also being linked to the proliferation of diseases and pandemics.
Our trees play a very vital role in ensuring our continued tenancy on Terra Firma, Planet Earth.
Our rapid development and modernisation has however, overtaken nature’s systems’ capacity to regulate the environment.
The rate at which pollutant gases are being released into the atmosphere is greater than the existent capacity of our trees and forests; and other complimentary systems can absorb and use them, releasing clean air in return.
The late great, Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi left us an enduring question when he sang ‘Tsvaga chikonzero chaita musoro uteme…’ It is our duty to investigate why climate change has occasioned us thus, and not merely look for relief from it.
Nature’s janitors, our trees and forest are the reason. We are removing them at a disproportionate rate, we are incapacitating them by not replacing them at a commensurate rate.
An army of chainsaws will flatten a centuries old forest in a matter of minutes, that is our problem. Most trees take decades to fully mature and reach carbon sequestration and storage optimality.
The environment is important in the lives of everyone and everything — as a constituent part of the Earth’s ecosystem, each dependent upon the other.
That we have to preserve and restore our forests cannot be debated. We need to plant fast maturing forest species.
This urgent and necessary step leads us to ‘look for the path of least resistance.’ We need to implement afforestation and reforestation programs that will provide the requisite ecosystem services and products that we require.
Bamboos are perfect for this role. They mature in 3 to 5 years which is faster than any other woody plant species on the planet.
With advances in technology, bamboo products are successfully complementing, replacing and substituting wood timber products in many countries around the globe already.
Bamboos are being used to make timber, planks, tiles, fabric for textiles, in construction and in making energy products like charcoal and electricity.
Once established bamboos can be harvested annually without the need to replant them for a period stretching between 40 and 100 years because they have a self regenerative ability.
This also means that on harvesting, the roots remain alive, holding the soil in place and thus avoiding soil erosion, carbon stored in the roots is also not lost to the atmosphere on harvesting.
It has also been reported that a managed stand of bamboos are more efficient at sequestering carbon (a major greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere than an equal stand of trees.
Bamboos can play a massive role in our bid to contain and reverse global warming and climate change.
Adoption of a bamboo strategy will ensure too that our natural forests are relieved off pressure and given time to regenerate, thus restoring biodiversity.
Bamboo ticks all the boxes as an ideal solution does it not?
Tinashe Chidau is the Secretary and founder of Bamboo Zimbabwe. He can be contacted on 0772949693 or email: tinashe@bamboozimbabwe.org.zw
Tichaona Kamikani is a Freelance Journalist and member of Bamboo Zimbabwe. He can be contacted on 0772892173 or email: tichkami@yahoo.com
Comments
About Author
