Bamboo has the uncanny ability to make even the most mundane of items take on a luxurious and exotic flare.

That's great, considering it's MUCH more sustainable, eco-friendly, and affordable than wood of all varieties.

Here at The Fun Times Guide to Living Green, we talk a lot about bamboo--from how to make your home panda friendly to incorporating it into your sex life (and everything in between).

But something we've never done is get all DIY with the not-so-tasty panda palate pleaser...until now.

It takes 120 years for a maple tree to grow to maturity and be harvested. It takes bamboo three years. Bamboo is that fastest naturally replenishing resource in the world and does not require replanting, fertilizers, and pesticides. It also acts as a great carbon sequester as it minimizes CO2 gases and generates up to 35% more oxygen than equivalent stand of trees. TreeHugger.com points out that while it is clearly a renewable resource that can contribute to sustainable living, in some cases it may not be managed in the most sustainable way.

As long as we consider and investigate the source of the bamboo, it can be used for many things, from hardwood flooring to bed sheets.