3 Ways Hemp Can Ensure Sustainability

The word hemp, brings with it many negative connotations. In the 1930's, William Randolf Hearst carefully, and effectively demonized the plant through his magazine empire, which spanned from the Los Angeles Examiner to the Atlanta Georgian.  This plant has only been illegal since 1937, (except for during WWII, when the government encouraged her growth, in the "Hemp for Victory" campaign.  After serving her purpose, she was once again tossed aside like a $2 hooker to make way for personal agendas.  Hemp fabric has been found dating back to 8000 BC.  The Nina, Pinta,and Santa Maria, utilized hemp rope and mast sails. Presidents Washington, and Jefferson grew hemp, and Benjamin Franklin owned a hemp mill. Unfortunately the intelligence of our ancestors has been overtly destroyed.  According to many sources, including Jack Herer's "The Emperor Wears No Clothes," this was primarily due to racism and corporate lobbying. The encouragement of hemp during WWII, and reports such as a USDA report in 1899, show that this misinterpreted plant with no psychoactive capabilities can help us live more sustainably.

Here are three ways that the legalization of hemp could benefit society, which is only the tip of the green iceberg.




1) To Replace Wood
Cutting down our natural forests is unnessecary!

A home in France, made of a hemp/lime "hempcrete"

Per acre, hemp not only produces about 4 times as much fiber as trees but is also easliy brought back to carrying capacity. Trees take so long to grow to maturity, that it nearly negates the fact that they can be renewed...eventually. Hemp grows like a weed, (because it is one!) reaching maturity in less than a year.  Hemp can be processed to make paper, which is more recyclable, resiliant, and requires less bleaching because of its lighter pulp.
Combining hemp with substances such as sand or lime produces "Hempcrete". This has been said to be 7 times stronger than concrete  Furthermore, it is more earthquake resistant, more insulating, and resists mold. Evidence of this material can be seen in France, where a 6th century bridge still stands, a portrait of ancient hemp architecture.  Recently, the first permitted hemp home was built in Asheville, North Carolina by Hemp Technologies,  (Click Here for their YouTube video).  Ireland, France, the UK, are some countries who actively cultivate hemp for building and insulation.  In France the tradition continues, where a woman named Madam Perrier builds 300 homes a year made from hempcrete.

2) To Reduce Our Carbon Footprint
Hemp can replace such crops as cotton, which require more care and chemicals to produce. These chemicals end up in our waterways, and air, causing health risks and perpetuating environmental, and social injustices. Using a crop like hemp that requires little chemicals, improves the land in which it is planted, requires minimal care, and grows as fast and reliably as any weed does, seems only common sense.
The fibers from the hemp plant have arguably been one of the most influential uses of any plant towards the advancement of mankind as a whole. Rope has been a key use of the hemp plants long since the begining of time, and could still replace synthetics like Nylon, (which stems from petrol based plastic). It is interesting to note that Nylon was created in 1935, and only two years later, after millenia of legality, hemp was banned.  According to David Madera, the Co-Founder of Hemp Technologies, hemp sucks CO2 out of the air, is  very recyclable, and is also biodegradable.

3) For use as a biofuel.

This compares the uses of fossil fuels to biofuels.  You'll notice that biofuel is capable of
supporting the same uses as fossil fuels.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs says that hemp can produce about 1.9 to 6 tons of biomass materials per acre, depending on the environment.  Here in America, the University of Connecticut, are in the planning stages of building a refinery which could convert the biomass from the hemp and other plants to create a biofuel.  They expect to be able to harness roughly 200,000 gallons per day.   People who argue against biofuel as a solution to our problem, have a valid point in terms of acreage usage, and the loss of food supply. The hemp plant however, is not a prominent food staple (though it could be used for sustinence), and therefore that risk is avoidable.  Jack Herer also commented on the space issue, saying that if only 6% of the continental United States were dedicated to the cultivation of hemp, it could supply our energy needs on a yearly basis. That land needs not be "farm-able land" either, as hemp can grow in conditions other plants could not.  Hempcar.org (who toured America in a car which ran on hemp biodiesel) says that in using biodiesel, "sulfur emissions are essentially eliminated...carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) from biodiesel (was) 50 percent lower than carbon monoxide emissions from diesel."  They also say that is decreases particulate matter in the air, emissions of hydrocarbon,  and has little "aquatic toxicity". This product is also far more safe for workers who deal with converting the plant matter into fuel. Compared to the gooey, fossilized, plant-tar that we burn to get us going today, would not it be better to burn a clean fuel, made by plants who have not been fermenting in the earth for billions of years?

These are merely a few ways that hemp is beneficial to humanity.  It is estimated that there are 30,000 or more uses for the hemp plant.  So take some advice from the author of our Declaration of Independence, who said, "Hemp is of the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country".