Bamboo is indigenous to Southeast Asia and can reach a height of nearly 100 feet. It is used in many ways, including ornamentation, construction, scaffolding, medicine, food, textiles, musical instruments and, in ancient times, for weapons and paper. It grows so quickly in the forests of Laos that many locals consider it a weed. But recently there have been proposals to convert this sustainable natural resource into a cash crop as a source for bio-fuel.
