Any straw that can be baled can be used in straw bale construction. Buildings that are framed and finished around bales of rice straw have outstanding insulation, making them energy efficient for both heating and cooling. Rice straw, like other straws, if it is dry when it is sealed into a construction, will not rot or mold. It holds a large volume of still air -- the key to insulation; and rice straw is largely made of carbon. This means that carbon in a rice straw bale construction is sequestered, and does not contribute to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Rice straw can be fed to livestock. Rice straw is not a high-quality forage, but has been used to bulk up other feeds for cattle. The protein content is comparatively low, though studies show that the higher the nitrogen inputs in rice cultivation, the higher the protein content of the straw. Palatability is another issue with rice straw. Cattle show a preference for rice straw that is within two weeks of its cutting date. Cattle that are feeding on rice straw as part of their forage also need additional calcium; so it is recommended that calcium-rich alfalfa hay be mixed with the rice straw.
China's rice production results in about 230 million tons of rice straw each year, according to a 2008 report in the journal "Energy and Fuels." Rice straw has a complex structure that makes it difficult to render biogas from the cellulose, because rice straw is resistant to rapid bacterial breakdown. Chinese researchers have successfully treated rice straw with sodium hydroxide, which accelerates the bacterial breakdown, making the rice straw more viable as a biofuel feedstock.
Green funerals are becoming more popular among the ecologically conscious. Some people are now asking that they be buried quickly, without embalming, in a coffin that is completely biodegradable. Rice straw is now used to make biodegradable coffins. BioFab LLC in Redding, California, has designed one rice straw coffin that is emplaced with a reusable hardware shell, leaving only rice straw, wooden pegs and paper with the body, ensuring that everything that goes into the grave will eventually be recycled back into the local biome.