by Lazz Laszlo

In Thailand, where coastal swells can wreak havoc on villages, vacation spots, and farm land, bamboo is being talked about more and more.

The typical coastal breaks are constructed of a series of 1.8 metre sand-filled fabric bags laid row upon row. It's something that many of the locals refer to as sand sausages.

One of the concerns of many coastal

The leaking sand from the bags results in the killing of the creatures and changing the balance of the natural habitats and its dependent residents.

Some authorities blame the hooks and other sharp fishing tools that are used by locals to catch their aquatic creatures for the sand bags spewing their contents.

One interesting solution has been "growing all around" and that is, to use bamboo to build barriers.

Bamboo has been used in some coastal areas of Thailand with success, but government officials will determine whether or not their use will be expanded or forgotten about, in lieu of sand bags.

In Thailand, you'll spot bamboo being used as scaffolding on numerous construction projects, including high-rise buildings.


It's cheaper than steel scaffolding, it's lighter weight, and unlike steel scaffolding, it can be bent to accommodate a tight area or geometric space.

Before you laugh, know that bamboo has a greater tensile strength than steel and it can be made denser than concrete.

This accounts for bamboo's ability to grow to about 200 feet in height and flap in the wind without snapping.

No need to hold your breath around bamboo, it produces about 35 more carbon dioxide into oxygen than your average tree.

Bamboo, through it's elaborate root system, even coheres the soil it's planted in better than most trees. which helps to thwart erosion.

Bamboo's amazing strength, ability to bend, and quick growth rate make it a natural material to be dealt with, explored, and possibilities imagined.