Carbon filtering is a method of purification through the use of active carbon (also called charcoal). The carbon attracts impurities (from chlorine to other carbon) and traps them inside millions of pores. When applied to water, charcoal provides a way to clean the water without using chemicals or boiling the water.

Charcoal People, a company based out of the United Kingdom, uses bamboo to create the charcoal needed in the purification process. Unlike my last post that focused on finding more water, I’m going to explore the use of bamboo in making more water drinkable.

The issue I’m having trouble with is “great first, green second”. Although I’ve read about the amazing properties of charcoal, I still struggle to believe that it is an equal alternative to a proper filtration system (see here), and as a result, I am less likely to purchase the product. This is a communication issue. Although I feel like Charcoal People do a good job explaining how the product works, the persuasion to use it needs to be better, because as it is I don’t believe many users would be interested in the product.

Additionally, identifying the target market Charcoal People is challenging. On the one hand, the process by which they burn the bamboo is an ancient Japanese ritual, with lots of meaning and beauty. They package their product well and sell it at a high premium, and while all this makes sense, I just can’t wrap my head around the audience. This comes back to segmentation — it’s a sustainable and cost-efficient way to purify water, so why isn’t it going somewhere where it can help people more? I see the company more as a social enterprise in developing nations, where there is a much broader scope of people who need to use the product. It would be really cool if the team could partner with global aid organizations to teach locals how to make the charcoal from bamboo, as it would have a positive impact in many countries.

It seems that water conservation has been a global topic lately, especially since harsh droughts in Brazil and California have caused the government to intercede and implement restrictions.  In this first part of my study on water, I’ll be addressing a water source that stems from bamboo plants, and how it may be a sustainable way forward.

I actually just learned this, but bamboo contains drinkable water within the grass that’s easy to access. Bamboo Beverages is a new business that is hoping to bring this water to Canada and show that there is a market for this alternative water source. The company has just embarked on a Kickstarter campaign and has 18 days left to reach a $50k target.

While I think this idea definitely has some application in countries with limited access to water, I have my reservations about the sustainable aspects of it. First, there is not enough bamboo currently in Vancouver, so the company is importing from the Philippines. I’m not an expert on emissions, but I know shipping costs are high and there is definitely an associated environmental costs there. Also, the product is still bottled water, which has its own issues.

Most importantly, I don’t see how this product is cradle to cradle. It would seem to me that there is lots of waste of bamboo, and if there are no partnerships involved then it is not sustainable cutting down all the bamboo, regardless of how fast it grows again. In this case, the website is absolutely no help, and although I think the idea is good, it’s hard for me to support the product without knowing where the waste goes.

With that said, I believe a partnership with some of the company’s I’ve mentioned earlier could have great potential. I don’t think it will solve all the issues this company faces, but it is certainly a way to be more sustainable in the long-run.

Giant Pod built by Giant Grass

Today I’m looking at Giant Grass (GG), and Australian company that promotes bamboo as a sustainable material in the building industry. No, they aren’t building high-risers, but instead create the designs and frames for small structures such as tents.

Like other businesses I’ve looked at, a huge focus for GG is communicating bamboo’s value-added to end-users. To achieve this, the team emphasizes the low cost and beauty of the material, which is the same route Grass Frames has taken. What’s interesting is that GG acknowledges that even they are still learning all the applications and benefits of bamboo, and that the material is more complicated than just applying it to building projects. As a result, Giant Grass has evolved their communication with their customers to better fit their methods of production.

One form of monetization for Giant Grass is through workshops they provide to their customers. Ranging from 1 day to 1 week, GG creates an atmosphere that is easy to learn in, challenging their clients through hands-on production of bamboo products. This two-way communication is a great way to gather feedback and engage their target audience, and is the first of it’s kind that I’ve seen in the bamboo field. I’m also betting that it’s a great way to test out how new products can be worked, while it allows GG to understand how their clients view bamboo and what preferences they may have.

Beginners learning how to build with bamboo

Most importantly, Giant Grass tailor each workshops to the level and age group of the participants, so children can do one thing while adults work on a completely different project. Being inclusive of everyone may make targeting a specific individual more challenging, but it does allow more flexibility with potential clients and orders. Suffice to say, the workshops by Giant Grass are definitely something I’ll check out next time I’m visiting Australia!