Bamboo: my Soup, my Bowl, my Table, my Chair

When you’re not cooking with bamboo consider cooking in it or with it.

Many Asian cultures for example, use the empty hollow in the stalks of more sizable bamboo to cook food in. Soups can be boiled in the stalk and rice can be cooked within the hollow body. When cooking, the stalk is held directly over a flame. Tea is also sometimes brewed in stalks. Cooking in bamboo stalks gives the food a distinctive added taste—one that you might find yourself loving.

But bamboo practicality does not stop there. It’s is often used to make cooking utensils. You can cook and eat using bamboo tools. Also, bamboo leaves are often used as wrappers for steamed dumplings.

The sleek, modern and yet organic look of dark stalks of bamboo have made it a hot commodity for dining wear like napkin rings, serving platters and candle holders. And, of course, as with all things made of bamboo, these tools are an eco-friendly alternative to other manufactured cooking tools.

Bamboo Grub around the World

We need only take a peek into cuisines across the globe to see that bamboo’s already made its versatile statement loud and clear. Indeed, the more we delve into other cultures and histories, we see that compared to some countries, it is North America that lags behind in the bamboo trend.

In Indonesia, bamboo stems are thinly sliced before being boiled with thick coconut milk, along with spices, to produce a dish known as gulai rebung. Pickled bamboo, a very different bamboo food product, is a condiment made from the soft pith (centre) of young shoots.

In India, bamboo stems are also used for cooking. The shoots are grated into juliennes and fermented. They become kardi, which is used in various foods, like a vegetable soup known as “amil.” It is also used for pancakes when mixed with rice flour.

In the Himalayas, the bamboo shoot, when it is in its fermented state, is used as an ingredient in a vast array of cuisines. For example, one delicacy has the fermented bamboo shoots cooked in a stew with potatoes. It’s quite a delight.

In addition, bamboo stalks can be used to make beverages. During the rainy season, the sap taken from young stalks can be fermented in order to make ulanzi, which is a sweet wine. They can also be made into soft drinks – a sweet treat for hot days and certainly a departure from East Asia’s familiar hot and sour soup!

The Green Room: A Small Town Store with a Big Idea

Another inspiring innovation comes to us from Courtenay BC, where eco-conscious entrepreneurs Rebecca Wood and Cortney Upham run The Green Room, the humble city’s first all environmentally-friendly housewares and gift store. With organic bath and body products, non-toxic cleaning products, locally made giftware, reclaimed jewelry, recycled glassware and of course, bamboo towels and baby products, The Green Room certainly covers all bases when it comes to customer convenience and the source for all things green.

Having the chance to speak with Rebecca, it was no surprise to learn that both she and Cortney hopped on the eco-bandwagon early. “We were both starting to change our lifestyles by biking to work etc. in hopes of moving towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.” What inspired this change? Knowledge. Suddenly becoming aware of the incredible use of pesticides, the chemical production of cotton and other day-to-day products provided a jarring paradigm shift. “We just felt more at ease using earth-friendly and locally made products and especially knowing where things came from.”

Not being a big online shopper but noticing that the only source for eco-friendly purchasing was online, the duo got to work researching how best to meet the needs of the Courtenay community in an environmentally-friendly way. Like any business fighting the good fight, Rebecca and Cortney definitely faced their share of challenges at first. “There are a lot of limitations when you’re looking for products completely eco-friendly produced. Even within bamboo there are often complications with the processing.” Finally, on September 29th 2008, The Green Room opened.

The Green Room has created a very positive response so far, Rebecca tells me. Customers have even suggested or requested green products for the store to carry and the number of returning customers continues to increase. Getting costumers educated and spreading the word is their most important mandate says Rebecca, and it is also an effective means of marketing. “If we can get the customers educated and confident about the product, the trend will hopefully stick in Courtenay.”

Although, even with the positive responses The Green Room still faces challenges unique to its location. Rebecca observes that “people tend not to spend much on shopping in Courtenay. Consumerism or materialism is not an issue, it’s just not the lifestyle.” Moreover, the business faces less traffic due to its location just off the beaten main street path. However, being situated close to a bustling coffee shop, beautiful courtyard and busy market selling local BC products certainly helps The Green Room generate attention.

The Green Room’s story certainly acts as an inspiration to anyone looking to change the world starting with their own backyard. As a model for all small businesses, Rebecca and Cortney’s eco-friendly mandate is admirable not only for the products they offer but the for education they provide their customers.

A FREE event worth the world to attend in Vancouver

Green Glamour, a benefit for Sustainable Living

**Happening this Thursday, Feb. 25!!!**

FREE ADMISSION

HUNDREDS OF $$$DOLLARS in products and services being offered for just loonies and toonies, with all proceeds being donated to the Stanley Park Ecological Society.

This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/

Eco-friendly businesses in your neighbourhood have joined forces to bring you Green Glamour, A benefit event for sustainable living with free admission, pampering services, food, drinks and eco-friendly door prizes! The event hopes to celebrate sustainable living within our beautiful city of Vancouver, right at the heart of an international event like the Olympics.

For just loonies and toonies you are invited to get:  

A manicure (By She to Shic),

An acupuncture facial (By SKN), 

A massage (by Footprints Healing Arts)

Your makeup done (by Arbonne)

…AND be photographed by a professional photographer (PhotoArt by Simpson)  

PLUS!!!

Listen to music by Vancouver soul musician Racquel Villagante and The Autumn Portrait

Drink coffee by Doi Chang

Eat chocolate from Cocoa Nymph

Try samples from Trillium Soaps and Candles

Win a door prizes from:

• Cheesecake Etc.
• Shoo-Foo Eco Towels and Linens

And more to come!

This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/

*ALL PROCEEDS OF THE EVENT WILL GO TOWARDS THE STANLEY PARK ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY.*

Time and place: The event will take place on February 25 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Jacana Art Gallery which is graciously donating their venue for this ‘green’ evening.  Address is 2435 Granville Street, Vancouver BC.   View the invite here: http://shoo-foo.com/en/green-glamour/

Thanks to the many generous doners who will be offering their services and resources free of charge to help promote sustainable living in our beautiful city!

Please forward this message to those who would like to hear about this event! 

Forest Fortitude: Preserving Our Best Defences with Bamboo

As many of us learned in grade school, forests and trees hold an unparalleled importance to all living things. They work to regulate carbon dioxide in the air, providing the oxygen balance essential for the survival of both ourselves and the earth we live on. And, as many of us learned from Al Gore in an Inconvenient Truth, mass pollution and deforestation causing global warming (a build up of carbon dioxide emissions in the air) is threatening that balance.

Forests are one of our best weapons against global warming. They convert carbon dioxide, which is responsible for global warming, to oxygen, which is necessary for life. And bamboo forests do it better than the alternatives. Bamboo produces 35 per cent more oxygen than a similar-sized group of trees. Many advocate the use of bamboo for this exact reason.

Bamboo is also a good weapon against deforestation. Deforestation occurs when a substantial amount of forest is permanently destroyed and cleared. The result is damage to land quality, the water cycle, and, as we’ve already addressed, this planet’s climate.

Luckily, bamboo doesn’t need to be replanted. You cut it and it comes back by itself. Its roots stay in the ground and maintain the stability of the soil. No erosion occurs. And the whole plant grows back way faster than other wood sources. In fact, most bamboo stalks will grow back in 59 days and mature within seven years. Meanwhile, a hardwood forest takes up to 50 years to grow back.

Consider looking up other ways to help protect our planet’s forests, like using bamboo or gas burning stoves and fireplaces in place of wood. Join a group that replants trees or even start one yourself. Ultimately, we need our forests. They are as necessary as they are beautiful.

Shoots in my Soup

Any great cook will tell you that just as bamboo can be a useful, luxurious and healthy part of house and home, it can also be a tasty addition to many meals. In fact, you may not be surprised to find that many South Asian food fans swear by it!

As Asian cuisine continues to grow at an almost exponential rate in popularity (think high-end restaurants like Nobu, prevalent chains like PF Chang’s or popular shows like Iron Chef America and Japan) the availability of Asian ingredients also grows. No longer limited strictly to Asian supermarkets, bamboo shoots can now be found in your local supermarket’s canned vegetable or “ethnic” food section. And you will find variety as well. They also come in various sliced forms. They can be bought canned or fresh, whatever best suits your need.

Not unlike celery or radishes, bamboo’s relatively bland taste but crunchy and bristly texture allows it to be cooked into a variety of dishes, from broths to stir-frys to curries.

No matter how you slice it—bamboo shoots, that is—you will find a multitude of lovely dishes that beg for a bamboo ingredient.

She to Shic: Saving the World Without Breaking a Nail

The first of its kind in Vancouver, the new She to Shic Beauty Lounge promotes total eco-friendly aesthetic services. Located in the trendy Kerrisdale neighbourhood, this new beauty boutique cuts no corners when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and concept. We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the owner and innovator behind She to Shic, Erin Shum and were surprised to find just how unique this business is.

The concept of a completely organic beauty lounge was born out memorable experiences familiar to many of us – accompanying our mothers (or daughters) to the salon. Over time, both Erin and her mom noticed that many of the salons they frequented weren’t particularly clean or comfortable, and those that were, certainly came at a price. Wanting to preserve the familial bonding they cherished so much but not wanting to sacrifice standards, Erin and her mother created She to Shic.

Previous to She to Shic, Erin spent much of her time working with special needs children during the year. She noticed how little time parents had to relax and treat themselves to some much deserved pampering. Offering hair, nail, eyelash and make-up services all in one place, Erin sees She to Shic as an ideal space for social connections. In fact, the boutique was designed with this in mind, mobile chairs allow guests to easily partake in “Everything I used to do growing up: prom pampering, birthday parties, and sorority functions.”

Moreover, her work with Autism also prompted Erin to question what it is that “gets into our system. With so many chemicals out there, it must be something in our environment.” Hoping to minimize our intake of synthetic chemicals, Erin began the research process for eco-friendly products. After a lot of hard work and the help of close friends, Erin created what is now She to Shic. Based on the salon’s impeccable cleanliness, modern aesthetic and pristine, mosaic walls, one would never have guessed this all happened in just three short weeks.

Erin tells me that although the response has been positive, many people still find it difficult to change or are not convinced by natural ingredients. “I want people to understand that they don’t have to spend more money or sacrifice quality or convenience to lead a cleaner more natural lifestyle. People think just because something is organic it won’t last as long.”
Indeed, She to Shic does not skimp on quality or variety you would find in any other high-end salon. Her nail polishes, for example, are long-lasting, vegan and phemaldehyde-free and come in every shade imaginable. “If you’re going to get a manicure or a pedicure, you might as well get something that’s good for you or else what is the point?” Those are inspiring words to ponder spoken by a true green-beauty thinker!

Bamboo Babies: Warming Up in Winter Weather

Wool and heavy cottons are usually the fabrics that come to mind when we think of keeping warm in the winter season, but what about bamboo fibres as an alternative to itchy wools and chemically produced cottons? It’s an option, unbeknownst to some, that’s really worth considering. There are multiple reasons for parents to consider a bamboo wardrobe for themselves and especially their babies.

For new parents especially, overdressing your babies for winter weather may seem instinctual however keeping your infant safe and comfortable is important, and this means making sure they’re never too hot or too cold. Bamboo clothing is thermo-controlled, which makes it the perfect option.

Bamboo clothing is also very breathable, another essential factor in keeping your baby comfortable. Believe it or not, it’s actually four times more absorbent than cotton. A handy bit of information to soppy up those puddles dragged in my snowy boots.

Finally, bamboo clothing is also softer than other fabrics which becomes particularly important when wearing layers of itchy wools and polyesters all day. For babies especially, softness and comfort is everything.

Ultimately, bamboo fibres are a great alternative for heavy fabrics during chilly months. As a concerned parent, you’ll find many of your worries alleviated. And as a casual spender, you’ll find your wallet no lighter than it was before. Bamboo clothing is a luxury without the luxurious cost. So consider bamboo the next time you bring out the old winter wardrobe or start creating one for that new special member of the family.

Pandas and Bamboo in China

Pandas are beautiful creatures that live in China, along side bamboo!  Although they have the digestive systems of carnivores, pandas eat up to 38 kilograms of bamboo each day!  Only 1 per cent of their diet consists of small rodents or other plants.  The experts say that since they have carnivorous appetites, but love bamboo, they need to eat more of it to keep their energy levels adequate – not that they do much except eat, sleep and play!

Unfortunately, the panda is also an endangered species and, to make the problem worse, they’re not the best breeders in the animal kingdom, being very shy in personality.

So is it a problem that us humans are now using the panda’s food source of bamboo to make fabric fibers?  Not at all!

For starters, there are about 1000 bamboo species and pandas eat about 30 of the different varieties of bamboo.  The bamboo we use to make fabrics is not the type that pandas eat.

Not only that, but bamboo is the fastest growing plant out there, and can grow back to fullness within 7 years, without having to replant.  If you’ve ever planted a bamboo stalk, you’ll know how easily it spreads and begins to pop up everywhere!  That’s why bamboo forests are a much better option for manufacturing things that we use as humans, such as furniture, paper, building supplies and even fabric!

The Chinese government and its Ministry of Forestry is very active in preserving the panda and tries very hard to help the animals escape their endangered status.  Recently, in addition to the 40 panda reserves in China, a fifth breeding center for pandas was announced.  It will help teach the pandas how to breed, since they’re not that good at it when left on their own.  A panda mother takes two years to raise a cub before sending if off on it’s own so she can bear another.  Research has also been in done in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund (also known as the World Wide Fund For Nature, or WWF), which sent researchers to China to help develop a forest management plan that would limit the cutting down of non-reserve forests where pandas live.

According to an article published by Pennsylvania State University Research, the main threat to pandas is due to illegal logging and poaching in what the government has classified as natural reserves.  In these reserves, no one is allowed to harm the wildlife, although some do anyway, despite the high risk to their liberty.  The Chinese government has even sentenced first-time poachers to life in prison and even to death for killing a panda.  However, the huge money (thousands of dollars) involved in the trade of panda pelts in other Asian countries and the difficulty of controlling hunters in thick forest makes poaching still a problem.

If you would like to help preserve the panda, visit the WWF site’s ‘How you can Help’ page where you can see a list of ways to donate, take action, and spread the word.

Facts about pandas:

Pandas need 4.9 square kilometers for their habitats, and often habitats of pandas overlap.  They don’t like to go far from their home.

It is very rare to see a panda in the wild.  They are very shy and live like hermits.  Scientists aren’t sure how many pandas there are in the wild, but they estimate it to be somewhere between 1500 and 3000.  Pandas can, however, be seen in zoos and breeding reserves where humans work with them.

In time, there has been confusion about whether or not the panda is a bear or a raccoon, because it shares characteristics of both.  However, scientists believe it is in fact a bear.

In the 1970s, pandas as loans were used by the Chinese to form relationships with outside countries, namely America and Japan.  Today, pandas are given on 10-year “rentals” to American zoos for a yearly fee (sometimes $1 million) and half of that fee goes into conservation efforts in China.

The panda cub is only 1/900 of its mother’s weight, ranging between 90 to 130 grams and is about the size of a stick of butter!

A baby panda can start eating bamboo after 6 months.

A female panda can only mate once a year, but takes one and half years to raise a cub, and can only raise one cub at a time.

In 2009 the first baby panda was born after being conceived by artificial insemination.  Overall, scientists believe that the conservation efforts on pandas is working, but do not have enough conclusive information to remove the ‘endangered’ label.  Still, the efforts have increased wild pandas by 40 per cent since the 1980s.

A panda weighs between 100 to 150 kilograms and can grow up to 150 centimeters.

Pandas have lived as their own species (apart from other types of bears) in China for over 3 million years.  For that reason they are sometimes called the “living fossil.”

Pandas live for up to 20 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity.

Welcome to Shoo-Foo’s brand new blog

The digital era is here and in full force, especially when it comes to social media. It is at this time that Shoo-foo Eco Fashion is proud to announce its presence in the blogosphere! With all the positive feedback we’ve received over the past three years it is our hope that our online Shoo-Foo Blog can now be a source for: learning about the latest bamboo trends, sharing baby tips and talk, staying Shoo-foo savvy, and keeping informed on eco-friendly living.

Make sure to check in with our SHOO-FOO NEWS section to keep up to date with our new products, events involving Shoo-Foo and personal interviews with our dedicated retailers.

LIVE SOFTLY refers to our steady goal in decreasing our carbon footprint on this earth. In this section, we address a variety of issues in regards to eco-sustainability, including tips on how to lead a greener, more environmentally friendly life. Particularly with growing concerns surrounding resource conservation, this section will also address topics such as water and forestry management, distribution and sustainability.

It is no coincidence that the eco-friendly movement and the emphasis on healthy baby care coincide. After all, living a greener life now means creating a cleaner future later. In our BABY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE section we hope to share stories, offer lifestyle tips and inform you of all things baby related.

Bamboo has come a long way from its once reputation as a decorative plant or a meal for pandas. Indeed the bamboo trend is catching on quickly as a new and renewable material in all genres, from architecture to cuisine! In our WHAT ELSE WITH BAMBOO section we explore this multi-purposed plant from its humble origins to its contemporary uses.