Bamboo is a group of woody perennial evergreen plants of the grass family. Some of its members are giant bamboo, forming by far the largest members of the grass family. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world: up to three to four feet a day. This accelerated growth rate allows bamboo to be harvested in three to five years, far more often than the 10 to 20 year harvest cycle of most softwoods. Unlike the environmental damage caused by the deforestation of trees, proper harvesting of bamboo leaves the root system intact, creating little or no topsoil disruption. This renewable, sustainable resource produces 35% more oxygen than its equivalent in trees while reducing carbon dioxide gas that is blamed for global warming. With the tensile strength of steel, it's the strongest growing woody plant in the world.