Bamboo is one of the 12 subfamilies of the grass family (Poaceae). It is the fastest growing plant on this planet with records showing amazing 47.6 inches of growth in 24-hour period. A grove of bamboo release 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees. Because of this, planting bamboo is a great way to reduce carbon footprint and help fight global warming. It is also a great soil conservation tool that can reduce rain run-off and soil erosion. Bamboo can also tolerate extreme conditions that most plants cannot, being the first plant to re-green after the atomic blast in Hiroshima in 1945.