The Philippines
is rich with natural resources that are utilized for different purposes.
These natural resources available in the environment truly accommodate our
needs. But, with the distraction made by humans it seems that there’s no other
way to lessen environmental dilemmas. However, there is a distinctive
way to protect the environment, that is surely an eco-friendly.
An
American-Filipino national named Bryan Benitez McClelland started putting up a business that protects the
environment, at the same time helping the community. He gets involved with Gawad Kalinga, and helped
them promote and start green building and later on he founded Bamb Ecological Technology Inc.
Due to his passion on bicycles and bamboos, he
then tries to do both things at the same time. His business was called BamBikes
which are bicycles made from bamboos. The business started March 2009 in partnership with Gawad Kalinga a local NGO, that has the primary purpose of providing sustainable livelihood practices for the people and the community. Bambike business is located in the town of Victoria, Tarlac wherein the people in the community are those who create bamboo bicycles.
These Bamboo Bikes really help the environment, and it was called as the eco-friendly bikes, because it’s made purely natural. Instead
of using steel and other chemicals that are toxins of the environment,
they then used natural resources that are available in the
surroundings. Eco-friendly because, with the use of bicycles, the exhaustive smoke coming from vehicles that pollute the environment will be lessened.
This concept of doing a pure hand-made product out of indigenous
materials was inspired by environmental problems. Since side by side
pollution surrounds us, thus McClelland made this idea of using bikes and raw materials present in nature. Aside from
helping the environment, the project also helps the community. Through this livelihood project, people don’t have to go far and leave their family
because the trade is inside their community.
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| The first ever Bambike, made last March 2009. |
These Bambikes are exported to different countries including US. Actually, President Aquino gave these Bambikes as present to US President Barack Obama and to New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jeremiah Mataparae. These Bambikes gone from different process, through planting, to harvesting, trading and furnishing, until they built a bike frame that suits your style.
Behind these Bambikes, are the Bambuilders who are responsible with all the details, materials and process in creating a world class product. These Bambuilders make sure that these Bambikes are long-lasting. According to Mr Fredy Yusi who's one of the heads of the Bambuilders, working for four years, he’s confident that all of their built bicycles are tough because, these were all made of bamboos.
Mr Yusi and Mr. James Cardona (the Bambuilders) showed me the basic procedure of these hand-made bikes.
Bambikes were sold by frame only and exported it to different countries. The process in doing these bikes was so hard but for the Bambuilders it’s not, because they are trained to crafts this raw materials. They do different frames and styles of bikes that are truly unique.
Bamboo for Bikes
According to Bruce Lee, if you noticed, the stiffest tree is most easily cracked,
while bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind. They are easy to produce, and to
harvest, since the province of Tarlac have different kinds and plantation of
bamboos.
The Bambikes
were made of different kinds of Bamboos such as, bayog, kawayang tinik, and
bikal. These take two to three years before harvesting. These bamboos were
harvested then processed. They cut trade and furnish it until it became a frame
and ready to export bikes.
The bikes made
from bamboo are tough in terms of loading capacity; in fact a square inch of bamboo can carry a weight of 500 pounds, andits tensile strength is 28,000 newtons, compared to 23,000 for steel. This
means that these bamboo bikes have the strength and ability same as the bikes
made from steel and aluminun.
Bamboos are not that difficult to find, there are approximately 1,000 species of bamboo, and has abundant uses, and the bamboo bikes are
just a start of the bamboo revolution. Aside from this, there are also 1,000 other uses of bamboos. These include the used for botanical extracts, teas, medicine, arts, crafts as like the bamboo bike, livestock forage, reinforcing concrete, building material, flooring, clothing etc. These are only of the many uses of bamboo.
The Community
The people of Gawad Kalinga Village in Victoria Tarlac are thankful on what the business
bringing them. They had much time for their families since they don’t have to
go that far to look for job. The work does not bring much load for them unlike
before, they do so much labor, like in farming and pedicab driving. Now, they
can stay longer with their families, at the same time earn for the family’s
expenses.
The villagers,
who create and produce this craft (Bambike),
are very proud and thankful on what they’re doing. Apart from financial earning, they also earn credits from different people showing how proud they
are on their Gawang Pinoy product.
During my interview with one of the heads of the Bambuliders named Fredy Yusi, he was thankful and happy that they were able to help their families, the communities and especially the environment. He just wanted to show how talented the Filipinos are, and be able to do unique things. “Ang gusto ko sana na makita ng buong Pilipinas na, sa paggawa ay hindi lang nanggagaling sa ibang bansa kundi, kaya nating mga Pilipino na gumawa ng unique na sarili nating produkto ”. This message from Mr. Yusi just showed how dedicated he is in encouraging Filipinos to make a product like this and prove how talented the Filipinos are.
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| Me, together with the two Bambuilders, Mr. Fredy Yusi in my right, and Mr. James Cardona in my left. The happy faces of Bambikes. |
The environment is the best we can have and we are the assets of it. As the assets of the environment, we are all responsible to utilize the resources and use these for good purposes as what Bambuilders are doing. Thanks to them we at least protect and preserve the environment in a useful way. This was just a start of the raw materials revolution.
Disclaimer: For academic purposes only.