It has become a common place that the effects of the scientific and industrial revolutions are threating our environments. This paper analyzes a specific case of the reckless exploitation of resources and the socio-economical consequences: (1) the extraction and use of fossil fuels in Groningen and the impact on Dutch economy; (2) ecological and socio-economical effects of the induced earthquakes and possibile solutions. The Groningen gas field has been a Dutch goldmine underground for over 50 years but if no measures will be taken this will result in an impoverished area on the surface. Therefore a broader approach versus a mere building reinforcement system is required. Applications and benefits of bamboo as a sustainable biomass material and earthquake resistant material will be discussed and analysed in order to establish whether it is possible to use laminated bamboo as a sustainable building material in the Netherlands for earthquake proof buildings and for a positive socio- economic development of the Groningen area.