CONTENTS

What is sustainable design..................................................................................... 01

Kyoto Protocol......................................................................................................... 02

Carbon Footprint.................................................................................................... 07

Biomimicry...............................................................................................................08

Sustainable fashion..................................................................................................12

Bamboo craft............................................................................................................14
 What is Sustainable design
sustainability is defined as: the physical development and institutional
operating practices that meet the needs of present users without com-
promising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, par-
ticularly with regard to use and waste of natural resources. Sustainable
practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality.

Sustainable design
Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment,
and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving
building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce
consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create
healthy, productive environments.

Sustainable design principles include the ability to:

optimize site potential;
minimize non-renewable energy consumption;
use environmentally preferable products;
protect and conserve water;
enhance indoor environmental quality; and
optimize operational and maintenance practices

1
 KYOTO PROTOCOL

2
Introduction
TheKyoto Protocolis aprotocolto theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change(UNFCCC), aimed at fightingglobal warming.The UNFCCC is an internationalen-
vironmentaltreatywith the goal of achieving the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentra-
tions in theatmosphereat a level that wouldprevent dangerous anthropogenic interference
with the climate system.

The Protocol was initially adopted on 11 December 1997 inKyoto, Japan, and entered into
force on 16 February 2005
As of September 2011,191 states have signed and ratifiedthe protocol

Participation in Kyoto Protocol as of 2011

Brown = Countries that have signed and ratified the treaty(Annex I & II countries in
dark brown)Blue = No intention to ratify at this stage.Dark blue = Canada, which withdrew
from the Protocol in December 2011.Grey = no position taken or position unknown

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Objectives of Kyoto Protocol
Under the Protocol, 37 countries ("Annex I countries") commit themselves to a reduction of
fourgreenhouse gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide,methane,nitrous oxide,sulphur hexafluoride)
and two groups of gases (hydro fluorocarbonsand per fluorocarbons) produced by them, and
all member countries give general commitments.

At negotiations, Annex I countries (including the US) collectively agreed to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% on average for the period 2008-2012.
Since the US has not ratified the treaty, the collective emissions reduction of Annex I Kyoto
countries falls from 5.2% to 4.2% below base year

Essence and Goals

The Kyoto Protocol is significant because, unlike previous negotiations on climate change,
which had only suggested that governments voluntarily reduce their emission of greenhouse
gases, it contains concrete mandatory aims for the countries which have signed it.

The Kyoto Protocol allows for flexibility in terms of the methods countries could use to meet
their gas reduction commitments. Such methods include:

1)compensating for emissions by increasing the number of a countrys carbon sinks. Carbon
sinks are forests, which take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Countries are allowed to
create carbon sinks on suitable sites outside of their own territory.

2)emissions trading trading of emission allowances between countries. The emissions trad-
ing method gives countries the opportunity to reduce emissions where it is most economically
efficient to do so.

3)clean development mechanism promotes environmentally-friendly foreign investments

from industrialized countries into developing countries. The developing countries are thus
aided at achieving sustainable development.
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Kyoto Protocol effect on Multinationals
For multinationals, the Kyoto Protocols entry into force means new restrictions, a new source
of income, or both. Companies operating in industrialized countries will be subject to the
programs developed by those countries to meet their Kyoto obligations.

Companies with facilities in developing countries might be in a position to take advantage of

a new source of carbon financing through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Example: Through their Southeast Asian subsidiaries, companies such as Unocal have ex-
plored ways to use CDM transactions to finance new clean energy projects.

Recent Development
the Kyoto parties focused on final revisions and finishing touches to the Protocol. They im-
proved the market mechanisms of achieving Kyotos goals, agreed on establishing a fund to
aid developing economies which may face the negative consequences of global warming, such
as sea-level rise or changes in rainfall patterns, and started considering talks on a new list of
goals that would come into action after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Participants in the talks included coun-
tries, such as the United States and Australia, which have not been willing to legally bind
themselves to the ambitious targets of the Kyoto Protocol. The talks on this track only had a
wishful character, without demanding the participating parties to commit themselves to any
definite goals and timetables.

Last day of the Montreal Conference

5
Why U.S. wont Ratify the Kyoto Protocol
The United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, but it hasn't withdrawn from it, either
The main objection of the US to ratification is regarding the nature of participation of de-
veloping countries. The US will not ratify the Protocol unless developing countries are also
required to keep greenhouse gas levels at targeted minimums.

The US feels that the Kyoto Protocol is unfair in that countries like itself will be harmed eco-
nomically because they will have to make the most changes in order to adhere to targeted
levels of CO2 levels set forth in the Kyoto Protocol.

India and Kyoto Protocol

India will not sign any legally binding global agreement for emission reduction as the country
needs to eradicate poverty through economic growth.

India argues that since the CO2 in the atmosphere is from developed countries it is their
responsibility to cut down the emissions. However India will make all efforts to cut down on
green house gas emissions but that would be voluntary.

India being a developing country is still not stable enough to take up global warming as the
emission cuts will slow down its development and cripple it economically.
What is a Carbon Footprint?
A carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activ-
ity, group of activities or a product. Nearly everything that we do produces greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions either directly or indirectly, whether it be getting to work, watching TV or
buying our lunch. The most important greenhouse gas produced by human activities is car-
bon dioxide.

Why work out a carbon footprint?

The increasing interest in carbon footprinting comes as a result of growing public awareness
of global warming. The global community now recognises the need to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to mitigate climate change. Countries, organisations and individuals alike are start-
ing to take responsibility.

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 BIOMIMICRY

8
What is Biomimicry?
Biomimicry or biomimetics is the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and
elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems. The term
biomimicry and biomimetics come from the Greek words bios, meaning life, and mimesis,
meaning to imitate. Other terms often used are bionics, bio-inspiration, and biognosis.

History
Humans have always looked to nature for inspiration to solve problems. One of the early ex-
amples of biomimicry was the study of birds to enable human flight. Although never success-
ful in creating a "flying machine", Leonardo da Vinci (14521519) was a keen observer of the
anatomy and flight of birds, and made numerous notes and sketches on his observations as
well as sketches of various "flying machines. The Wright Brothers, who finally did succeed in
creating and flying the first airplane in 1903, also derived inspiration for their airplane from
observations of pigeons in flight.

Examples of Biomimicry
Transportation: Learning from Kingfishers
When the West Japan Railway Company had a noise problem with one of their train,
the fastest one in the world, the trains chief engineer and a bird-watcher decided to look
in to Nature for solution. In the end he decided to design the front of the train after the
kingfishers, a bird which dives from the air into water with very little splash. As a result,
the train got quieter and uses 15% less electricity even while the train travels 10% faster.

9
Toxics: Learning from Lotus Plants How to Clean without Cleaners
The lotus leaf is one of the most water repellent leaves in the world. Many would think the
leaf to be smooth because of its quality but on the contrary the lotus leaf is rough. Even
though its microscopically rough it is enough to trap a maze of air which water droplets
float on and as a result cleans the leaf.

A University professor at the University of Bonn in Germany has developed a surface based
on the lotus leaf. This knowledge has lead to a new generation of paint, glass and fabric fin-
ishes all to minimize the use of chemical or laborious cleaning.

Medicine: Learning From Chimpanzees How to Heal Ourselves

Chemicals that have shown promising results in treating various parasites in humans such as
pinworm, hookworm and giardia have been found in a plant named Vernonia
genus. Researchers who were watching chimpanzees discovered how they behaved when ill
and how the chimpanzees seek out the plant Veronia genus.

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Architecture: Learning from Termites How to Create Sustainable
Buildings
When the Eastgate building in Zimbabwe was created the goal was to reduce energy usage as
to be sustainable. In Zimbabwe, where the temperature outside can vary from 3 C up to 43
C the air condition plays a significant role.

To obtain this goal, Mick Pearce the architect, looked at termites and how they are able to
keep the temperature in their nest within one degree. His solution was to have specially de-
signed hooded windows, variable thickness walls and light colored paints as a part of a pas-
sive-cooling structure to reduce heat absorption. By doing so Eastegate uses 90% less energy
for ventilation than conventional building its size (17).

Conclusion
Even though Biomimicry is a rather young field of subject it is very likely to have a great
impact on our society in the future, as a new way of thinking bringing forward a sustainable
solution harmonizing with nature

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 SUSTAINABLE FASHION

12
Introduction
What is sustainable fashion?

Sustainable fashion is about being kind to our environment, responsible with our resources
and treating our fellow garment workers like human beings. This means looking at the tag,
using what you have and being creative in our wardrobe choices.

The garment lifecycle below explains the steps a piece of clothes moves through from seed to
grave.

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 Bamboo Sustainable Craft
Introduction
Bamboo is a type of grass with a hard, woody, hollow stem. It is a perennial evergreen, mean-
ing it grows every year and stays green year round. Hundreds of kinds grow in different re-
gions of the world, and people have used them in everything from construction to medicine.
Preferring well-watered, mildly acidic soil in most cases, it has significant cultural and reli-
gious connotations such as the need to remain morally straight

Description
This kind of grass appears as a round, hollow, fibrous stalk, which is green and grows straight
up. The plants do have leaves, but they do not put much energy into growing them until they
are nearly fully mature. When the leaves do appear, they grow from the top of the stalk.

Bamboo in structural and cultural dimensions

Before bamboos are used by human beings they are at first a plant with a special kind of
structure that makes bamboo different to any other plant in nature. Its special structure is the
result of million years of natural evolution and proved a very effective and efficient organism
on the one hand; on the other hand it also makes bamboo a very useful material for humans.
Its natural structure explains why bamboo is used by so many people and has such a long his-
tory in peoples life not only as a material, but also as a cultural being in the human society.

Bamboo in natural and human contexts

14
The structural dimension of bamboo
Bamboo as a plant: botanic characters

Botany is the scientific study of plant life (Botanical Society of America 2006) . In this part the
botanical features of bamboo will be discussed, which help bamboo as plant to live and flour-
ish on earth through millions years of natural evolution. The study will concentrate on the
relationship between the structure of bamboo and its function. The structure will be exam-
ined from two points of views: from the outer form of bamboo (morphology) and from inside
(anatomy). The function of its structure will be divided into outside environmental function
(ecology) and inner function (physiology).

Classification
Bamboos are a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae,
subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. According to Cronquist (1988) bamboo is classi-
fied botanically as followed:

Some species of bamboo genus Phyllostachys

15
Geological distribution
The bamboos grow naturally in all the continents except Europe. They can be found from a
latitude of 32 south to 46 north. Generally bamboos prefer the tropical or sub-tropical cli-
mates with an average annual temperature between 20C and 30C, but some kinds of bam-
boos can live in the fields with temperature as warm as up to 40-50 C (like Oxythenanthera
abyssinica in central Africa) and other kinds of them can withstand the cold weather with
temperatures under 0C (Phyllostachys mitis in China). Bamboos grow mainly at altitudes
between 100 and 800 meters, but can also be found at sea level and in the mountains above
3000 meters

Geographical distribution of bamboo

Morphological explanation
Morphology is the study of the structure and the form of the organisms, which determine the
classification, the evolution of the organisms. One segment of the morphology study is the
functional morphology, where the relationships between the structure of organisms and their
functions are the main topic. From the morphological perspective, bamboo has two impor-
tant features which make bamboo very successful in surviving through millions of years of the
evolution process: the rhizome system and the culm.

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Rhizomes
The rhizome system was labeled by McClure (1966) as one of the four most important botan-
ic characters of bamboo and constitutes the structural foundation of the growth of the plant.
Since it is subterranean and not easy to access the importance of the rhizomes system is gen-
erally neglected by taxonomists and anatomists.

The bamboo rhizomes can basically be divided into two main groups:
- Laptomorphs or also called monopodial bamboos that have long and thin rhizomes
from which the buds produce single and regular shoots. The bamboo species Phyllostachys
pubescens belongs to this group.

- Pachymorphs or also called sympodial bamboos that have short and thick rootstocks
from which the canes grow up. The bamboo species Guadua angustifolia belongs to this
group.

5Left: Laptomorphs (monopodial); Right: Pachymorphs (sympodial)

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Culm
The culm consists of internodes and nodes. It is the visible part of bamboo which makes bam-
boo so unique as a material and a plant. It is also where bamboo differs from grass and tree.
The growth of the culm begins from the buds on the rhizomes: the buds grow at this position
for several years before they become bamboo shoots and emerge out of the soils.

The later structure of culms (the internodes and nodes) has already been totally defined dur-
ing this phase. The overground growth of bamboo is like the shift of telescope tubes from
bottom to top. The culm diameter tapers also from bottom to top, like the wall thickness.
Similar to the tree the bamboo culm has a wooden character which makes it different to those
of grasses.

Diagrammatic longitudinal section of young bamboo culm (left) and the lower part and section of
culm (right).
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Anatomical explanation
Under the microscope the cross section of a culm shows a very special arrangement of the
cells and demonstrates a harmony of the function and construction in nature. Kratzsch
(1933) has divided the bamboo culm cross section from outer to inner into four sectors to
demonstrate the gradual anatomical changes.

For a better understanding of the processing of the bamboo culm, here the division created
by Zhang (2001) will be used, in which the bamboo culm cross section is divided into three
sections.
- The skin: the cortex of the bamboo culm cross section. Watertight layer which protects
bamboo against moisture lost from inside and invasion from outside. No vascular bundles
fund in this section.
- The bamboo timber: between the skin and the pith, with vascular bundles and paren-
chyma tissues. It is the main structural and functional part of the culm.
- The pith is the inner surface of the bamboo cavity. It is a parenchyma tissue, without
vascular bundles

The culm compromises about 50% parenchyma, 40% fibers and 10% conducting tissue (ves-
sels and sieve tubes) (Liese 1985).
- The parenchyma: the parenchyma forms the basic tissue in which the vascular bundles
are embedded (biological function). It is like the filler and binder for the fibers which together
build the construction (structural function)
- The fibers: The fibers are like the skeleton. The fibers together with the parenchyma
build the basic construction of the culm.
- The conducting tissues: the biological functional part works for transporting nutrients
and water in the culm. They are embraced and therefore protected by dense fibers and togeth-

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 The diagrammatic picture of the bamboo culm cross section

The functional division of these three tissues and the structural combination are similar to
that of the animal body the skeleton, muscle and the blood vessel. This principle has in a
way also been used by human beings in the industrial world, like in reinforced concrete.

Two functions account for that: firstly the tube structure always has its largest tensile and
compression at the peripheral zones when it is bended, so the distribution and arrangement
of the cells guaranty the highest strength at this part. The second is, the harder and denser the
peripheral parts, the better the culms are protected from outer invasions. Also bamboos have
in their upper part of culm much more fibers so that the bamboo has more elasticity on its
upper part; this property prevents that bamboo is destroyed in strong wind or heavy rain and
snow.

V:Vessel of xylem Ph: Phloem.

view of the bamboo culm (left) and the vascular bundles of bamboo culm (right).
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Physical properties
- Specific gravity
The specific gravity of bamboo ranges between 0.5 and 0.8 g/cm3 (oven-dry weight). This
value increases from the central parts to the peripheral parts of the culm and from the bottom
to the top (Liese 1985).

- Moisture content
Moisture content influences the utilization of bamboo in a similar way like that of wood.
The moisture content of bamboo depends on: 1. Bamboo species: the different species have a
different amount of parenchyma cells which correlate to the water holding capacity (Liese &
Grover 1961). 2. Culm zones: the base has a higher value than the top.

- Dry shrinkage
Unlike wood bamboo begins to shrink from the beginning of drying (Liese & Grover 1961).
The process is not regularly and will stop at about 40% moisture content. After the bamboo is
cut, its moisture content decreases and the dry shrinkage begins.

- Resistance against natural pests

Bamboo has organic nutrients which are favorable to insects and microbes compared to
wood. These organic substances are protein (1.5 6.0%), carbohydrate (2%), starch (2.0
6.0%), fat and wax (2.0 4.0%). (Zhang et al 2001). Under proper temperature and humility
bamboo is apt to be attacked by insects and fungi. There are traditional as well as modern
methods to deal with this.

Chemical properties
The chemical properties influence the growth and the mechanical properties of bamboos.
Through the chemical analysis more information on the taxonomical identification and
propagation can be obtained. The chemical composition of bamboos also has an influence on
deciding what kinds of bamboos with which kind of material in combination is suitable for
the utilizations.

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- Cellulose: Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a carbohydrate. It forms the primary structural
component of green plants. For the plants the primary cell wall is made of cellulose and the
second cell wall is made of cellulose with a varying amount of lignin. Cellulose is also the
most abundant form of living terrestrial biomass in the world, which in combination with
lignin and hemicellulose can be found in all the plants (Crawford 1981). It is also the major
constituent of paper and for the synthesis of the plastics celluloid.

- Lignin: Lignin is an integral part of the cell walls of plants, especially in tracheids,
xylem fibers and sclereids. It is the second most abundant organic compound on earth af-
ter cellulose. Lignin makes up about one-quarter to one-third of the dry mass of wood. The
lignin fills the cell wall of the plant in the space among the cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin
components. It confers mechanical strength to the cell walls and thus the whole plant.

- Hemicellulose: Hemicellulose is similar to cellulose but is less complex. Hemicelluloses

bind with pectin to cellulose to form a network of cross-linked fibers in plants. The hemicel-
lulose in bamboo has its main component xylan between that of the hardwood and softwood

Pre-processing of bamboo
the pre-processing of bamboo means the preparation of bamboo for its further utilizations as
a material. It is the phase between the bamboo plant and the bamboo material. The difference
of the utilizations of bamboos determines the processing of bamboo and also changes from
one to another. For example the bamboo sprouts are very popular foods in Asia and will be
cut in the beginning of the sprout growth in the spring; whereas the bamboo culms for build-
ing normally come from the 4-5 years old bamboo and should be cut in fall and winter. But
generally there are three phases which most of the utilizations have to take: the harvest; the
transport and the preservation.

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Tools for Bamboo Craft
There are many various types of tools are used to make bamboo craft, there are,

Material treatment de-structuring the bamboo canes

- Splitting
Cutting the bamboo culm with one longitudinal cut and then breaking the whole culm lon-
gitudinally, the bamboo can be worked from a tube into a plank.

23
- Cutting: Strips Laths
To get bamboo strips or laths the bamboo needs to be cut longitudinally several times. There
is a special knife for cutting a cane into 8 pieces of small strips. With this kind of knife the cut
can be more efficient and precise

Bamboo splitting and the tool for it

- Scratching
After cutting the bamboo into strips it often needs scratching the surface to get rid of the
sharp edges and to get a glazed surface.

- Drilling and scorch drilling

The way of getting a hole in the bamboo cane is drilling. Different from drilling holes in
wood, drilling holes in bamboo cane is much more difficult. Due to bamboos strong axial
structure, it is easy to split the bamboo cane by drilling. Scorch drilling is a more useful way
to make a hole. The hot blade of the drill helps making holes easier and will not split the cane.

- Filing
Using a file can bring the edges and holes into a precise shape. Owing to their hard surface
finishing files are mostly used in the work, whereas rasps are seldom used.

- Sanding
Sanding can make smooth edges and surfaces. It is a useful finishing process for fine objects
such as furniture, artwork and music instruments. It is an important preparation for painting
the surface because the silicified outer layer of the cane is difficult to paint with colors.
24
Preservation
The preservation of bamboo after the harvest is so important that it decides the quality of
bamboo material in later utilizations. Similar to wood the bamboo is easily attacked by insects
Because of bamboos anatomical structure the treatment is also difficult to carry out: there are
no radial oriented vessels, all of them are arranged mostly axial and isolated by parenchyma
in the internodes and only connected at the nodes. The outer and inner walls are covered with
dense wax which prevents a loss of water.

Bamboo preservation

Traditional methods
non-chemical) Chemical methods

- Clump-curing - Open tank

- Smoking - Butt treatment
- Soaking - Boucherie method

Bamboo preservation methods

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Bamboo textile
Bamboo pulp can be further processed into bamboo fiber, yarn and filament for industrial
usages and garment producing. In China there are several factories which use similar technol-
ogy and processes to produce bamboo fiber, yarn and filament.

Bamboo textile and fiber

As a natural fiber the bamboo fiber has the following advantages:

- Natural anti-bacteria
Because bamboo has a unique anti-bacteria and bacteriostasis bio-agent named "bamboo
Kun", this substance, in close combination with bamboo cellulose molecular during the pro-
duction, make bamboo fiber have the function of anti-bacteria, bacteriostasis and deodoriza-
tion.
- Breathable and cool
Due to various micro-gaps and micro-holes in the cross-section of the bamboo fiber, it has a
very good ability to absorb and ventilate moisture. Apparels made of bamboo fiber can absorb
and ventilate the humans sweat very fast, as if the apparels could breathe. And these bamboo
fiber clothes keep the human body cool in summer.
- Green product and biodegradable

The bamboo fiber and yarn products are, like many other bamboo products, biodegradable,
so it is also eco-friendly.
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Bamboo based Products

After a general appraisal of the type of products made traditionally of bamboo in the region
and those which still found a ready market were selected for the purpose of reviving an activ-
ity involving traditional artisans and introducing mechanised primary processing for value
addition. In spite of inroads that plastic or metal equivalents have made in the recent dec-
ades, many of the products still are in demand. A clear preference is still shown for products
that are categorised as ecofriendly and products from bamboo, rattan, coir and coconut shell
would still find a market.

Lamp Shade

Lamp Shade

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 Easy Chair

Weave Bottle
Easy Chair

Bamboo Tumbler
Bottle Stand
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 REFERENCES

www.wisegeek.org
www.fibre2fashion.com
http://environment-ecology.com
http://www.undressrunways.com
http://unfccc.int

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