The orangic alternative ...

... is the title of an article in FT 2007-01-06 about bamboo.

It is light weight and strong.
Lots cheaper than building with concrete etc.
Have you also seen the scaffolds that constructions workers in China scurry on?
They are made with bamboo!

It yields 25 times more per area than normal timber (I guess he means trees).
It is ready to harvest within 5 years, pines take 50-80 years ...

As the author notes the biggest draw back in the west is the long haul from China.

I have even seen clothes mad out of bamboo.
Something to think about?

Is it really an organic alternative.
That entirely depends on how they are grown.
But since it is very sturdy grass it does not need a lot of attention.
No need for ploughing either since it will shoot out again
once it has been cut down.

We will see if bamboo houses will catch on in Europe.

Financial Times makes a The Economist

John Kay of the Financial Times recently in his editoral Why the green lobby must be treated as a religion says that in global warming the enviromentalists got their Apocalypse myth they sorely wanted.

But as Andrew Simms in his letter to the editor It is high time that we considered mainstream economics - not environmentalism - as a religion notes that many environmentalist are trained scientists. Indeed, the IPCC is entirely composed of scientists. Maybe John Kay thinks that IPCC is a conspiracy?

John Kay continues "business linked to faiths and ideologies is a sinister and unaccountable power." I couldn't agree more. The odd notion by many economist that constant growth is the only way to solve any economical problem fails just as Andrew Simms notes that "orthodox economics, on the other hand, with its presumption of an infinite natural resource base to fuel endless gross domestic product growth, its belief in man as a perfectly informed rational agent and of markets bustling with the efficiency of limitless small companies facing no barriers to entry in any sector - this is a belief system that really does require a leap of faith."

One more thing regarding John Kay's statement on ideologies making sinister business I agree in regards to neoliberals without any moral scruples. Just see what happen in all the so called free trade zones around the world. Human Rights what is that - bah - lets ignore that - it is too expensive and cumbersome to let the workers have a say about and influence in their work and work place.

John Kay continues "Most environmental initiatives that have been implemented - phasing out fluorocarbons, renewable energy and emissions trading - have significant commercial lobbies behind them." I think he forgot the environmentalists. The phasing out of CFCs for one we can thank among other Greenpeace for showing that alternatives are possible. Renewable energy has always been around. Nowadays notably there are even market analysts claiming that renewable energy is the next hype. Hopefully it is hype that will last forever.

John Kay continues: "Windmills on roofs and cycling to work are insignificant in practical consequence, but that is to miss their point." That certainly goes near the infamous Economist article stating that personal (consumer) choice has no impact. So we should all give up and give to the powers of the so called market. But hey who is the market? It is us consumers!

One person making one small choice may not have a huge effect but if everyone in e.g. London would bike or walk to work that would have a huge effect. Do you see what I am getting at?