OAKLAND, USA
West Oakland, CA
Oakland project images
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Air Pollution
In the Bay Area’s central port, pollution is rampant: there is more particulate matter (PM) in the air than anywhere else in California and residents are five times more susceptible to cancer from diesel particulate matter (PM) than in the rest of the state. While the Port is developing standards for emissions, the impact won’t be felt for 20-30 years.
Industrial Ecology
Urban Biofilter is developing design standards to incorporate into green infrastructure projects and urban redevelopment projects such as the masterplanning of the Oakland Army Base.
In addition to air quality improvement, bamboo greenbelts can be used for decentralized, on-site stormwater; wastewater treatment, which is more economical than conventional wastewater treatment solutions. On-site water treatment is a design requirement for the new Army Base redevelopment.
Red, White and…Bamboo…
Industry and Environmentalists Unite!
Los Bambuseros de plantacion OMSS!!!
These are the folks who work at the port 5-7 days a week.
They are mechanics, truck drivers, and taqueria chefs.
They are the people, watering, maintaining, fertilizing and caring for the bamboo.
They’ve come to see it as an oasis in the concrete jungle.
There our friends.
Give props!
Proposal
Outline of the installation and maintenance of an Urban Bamboo Biofilter
1. Introduction
The Urban Biofilter project designs, implements and advocates for green infrastructure in environmentally degraded urban communities, to create jobs and provide quantifiable ecosystem services such as air, soil and water filtration. The Urban Bamboo Biofilter uses bamboo and microorganisms to purify waste and improve quality of life in inner-cities. A micro-industrial forestry project grown with waste water on brownfields, the Urban Bamboo Biofilter bioremediates water, soil and air while shielding residents from industry and transportation routes and beautifying neighborhoods. By valuing ecosystem services the project enables a green economy that serves environmental justice.
2. Location
The Urban Biofilter will be strategically placed to filter particulate matter from transportation routes and stationary pollution sources. Urban forests can remove SO2, NOx, CO, CO2, Ozone, PAH & other VOCs, as well as PMs and metals from contaminated air-sheds and have been shown to capture 15 kilograms per day per square kilometer of PM10
. Unlike trees, which take 25 years or longer to achieve maximum pollution filtration, in one to two years the Urban Bamboo Biofilter can effectively improve air quality, reduce storm water runoff, and provide ecosystem benefits.
3. Species
There are thousands of kinds of bamboo. We have selected a handful of species appropriate to our climate, which will fit different installation criteria: height and shade tolerance, while yielding biomass for potential use in bamboo industries.
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Bamboo Species List |
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Common Name |
Height |
Diameter |
Location |
Uses |
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SYMPODIAL (clumping) |
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Bambusa beecheyana |
Beechey Bamboo |
50’ |
5” |
Full sun |
Crafts/Culinary |
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Bambusa oldhamii |
Gian Timber |
55’ |
4” |
Full sun |
Construction |
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Chusquea gigantea |
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25’ |
1.5” |
Full sun |
Solid culm for Furniture/Crafts |
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Himalayacalamus hookerianus |
Blue Bamboo |
20’ |
0.8” |
Mostly Shade |
Nursery Sales |
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Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum |
Mexican Weeping |
20’ |
1.5” |
Mostly Sun |
Nursery Sales |
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MONOPODIAL (running) |
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Phyllostachys bambusoides |
Madake, Giant Japanese Timber |
72’ |
6” |
Full sun |
Construction |
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Phyllostachys heteroclada |
Water Bamboo |
33’ |
1.5” |
Full sun |
Grows in constantly wet ground |
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Phyllostachys nigra |
Black Bamboo |
30’ |
2” |
Full sun |
Nursery sales/Crafts/Fences |
5. Propagation
Planned propagation is a crucial step in cost reduction of the Urban Bamboo Biofilter. By planning ahead and propagating in-house, we can dramatically cut costs. Ideally a lot covered in 12” deep mulch and provided with regular recycled water would be planted with bamboo cuttings. Minimal maintenance would be required, only regular water on a timer. With a minimum of one year and an ideal of two years, these plants would be cut into sections and moved to the plantation areas.
4. Installation
Bamboo is installed in root barriers. Because of their extremely shallow rhizome system, bamboo can be contained with a 36” plastic barrier. Mulch and regular water.
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Timeline |
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Year 1-2 |
Required Area |
Required Labor |
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Propagate bamboo |
1/10 of Planned Plantation Area |
Install mulch, irrigation, bamboo |
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Year 2-3 |
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Install bamboo |
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Install mulch, irrigation, cut and transport plants with fork-lift, |
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Year 3-5 |
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Harvest bamboo for fencing/crafts |
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Once per year harvest 10% of poles |
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Year 5-10 |
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Harvest bamboo for construction |
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Once per year harvest 10% of poles, treat and store |
5. Maintenance & Harvesting
Bamboo is a renewable resource because it generates biomass that can be harvested each year. With research and business development we will identify the most profitable value added products that can be produced from the excess biomass and we will promote a bamboo industry in the East Bay. A Job Training Program coupled with the job creation from the new bamboo industry will alleviate unemployment while improving ecology and quality of life in West Oakland.
