by
Amanda Froelich
TOPICS:Hemp
May 29, 2016
By
Amanda Froelich
Though the negative stigma associated with cannabis has lessened in recent years – especially since CBD-rich oils to be a powerful aid in fighting cancer, it still hasn’t garnered full support from the public.
Such is unfortunate, as hemp is one of the most versatile (and
longest cultivated) crops on the planet and can be used for a variety of
practical and economical uses. According to some sources, the crop is
humanity’s answer to eliminating smog from current fuels, creating a
cleaner energy source that can replace nuclear power, remove radioactive
water from the soil, and eliminate smog from skies in industrialized
areas.
In addition, nationwide hemp production could eliminate deforestation
by converting current paper to hemp paper which can be recycled up to 8
times. Compare this to wood pulp, which is recyclable up to 3 times. Finally, hemp seeds are incredibly nutritious and can even serve as a suitable feed for animals and livestock.
Obviously, numerous benefits could be derived from
legalizing the crop
and allowing it to be cultivated all over the world. However, people
have been conditioned to view the herb as a negative addition to
society. Such is largely a result of big business and political
propaganda which began in 1915.
Drug Warrant relays that even though the
Declaration of Independence was printed on hemp paper
and the crop was mandated to be grown in the U.S. in 1619, only in the
last hundred years or so have people been demonizing the plant.
Perhaps if people knew the many ways hemp and marijuana, which are
closely related but are not the same, can be used, their opinions on
legalizing the crop would change. Considering that marijuana results in 0
annual deaths while pharmaceutical drugs are responsible for over
100,000, keeping an open mind is the least people could do.
Following are 9 benefits of hemp you won’t learn about from mainstream media:
1) Fuel
Similar to plants like corn,
cannabis
can be used to develop biofuels to power automobiles, generators, and
pretty much anything else one can imagine. In fact, the University of
Connecticut has been studying whether or not the fuel is actually
viable, and the results are confirming that it is is.
One of the major problems with current biofuel production, according to
Cheat Sheet, is that it often takes more energy to create than what it’s worth. Cannabis may be able to change that.
And, thanks to the growing interest in the cultivating the crop, developing a cannabis
biofuel industry is speculated to be an easy task.
Professor Richard Parnas of the University of Connecticut says:
If someone is already growing hemp, they might be able to
produce enough fuel to power their whole farm with the oil from the
seeds they produce. The fact that a hemp industry already exists means
that a hemp biodiesel industry would need little additional investment.
Credit: pinterest.com
2) Batteries
According to
AlterNet, cannabis could help improve the way
we store energy. Researchers are discovering that cannabis may assist
the process of producing more efficient supercapacitors. Basically,
nanosheets can be made by hemp fibers in the same way scientists have
been able to use graphene in the past. An added bonus is that
hemp is more economical, as it can cost thousands of times less than graphene or similar materials.
As it becomes more socially acceptable to work with hemp, engineers
and scientists will have more freedom to develop other innovations with
the material.
Credit: Herb.co
3) Building Materials
You may not know this, but hemp can be used to create various kinds
of building materials. In fact, it’s likely that in the future, houses
and even business structures will be comprised of hemp.
Not only can hemp be made into insulation, it can also be used to
create engineered building products like fiberboard and pressboard. In
addition, it can even be used to make ‘hempcrete’, which is a stronger,
lighter, and more environmentally friendly version of concrete.
Credit: leafscience.com
4) Livestock Feed
Livestock is often fed corn-based feeds, but cannabis-based options
could soon become the norm. The change would not only reduce costs, it
would spare more food for people who need it.
In addition, feeds with cannabis would cut down on transportation needs, as the crop grows practically anywhere.
Credit: Beefproducer.com
5) Plastic Production
In the early 1940s, Henry Ford (below) produced a prototype car made
out of hemp & soy plastic. Though it never went into production due
to the influence from chemical giant DuPont, the photo of Ford trying to
ax his way through the car proved hemp plastic’s durability.
Now, it’s well-known that hemp plastic would be a suitable
alternative for consumers as it is more easily recycled and degrades at a
faster rate than traditional plastic.
Everyday items like soda bottles, CD & DVD cases, shower curtain
liners, and even food packaging could be easily switched to hemp-based
plastics.
Credit: TreeHugger
6) Food & Beverages
Hemp seeds are touted as a ‘super food’ because one-third of hemp
seed’s weight comes from hemp oil, which is both edible and highly
nutritious. The food source contains essential fatty acids (more
omega-3’s than walnuts) which lower inflammation, and the whole seed is
about 25% protein. It’s also a great source of calcium and iron.
One can use hemp seeds in desserts, by sprinkling them on salads, or by making homemade hemp milk (just substitute for almonds).
Credit: 420Magazine
7) Nuclear Waste Cleanup
One of the most intriguing uses for hemp is how it can assist in
cleaning up soil contamination. In the early 1990s, the crop was planted
at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine to assess its
abilities to heal the soil.
Reportedly,
the plant shows great potential in cleaning up land contaminated with
coal fly ash, sewage sludge, or heavy metals due to its fast rate of
growth and ability to remove contaminants from the soil.
Credit: nationofchange.org
8) Paper
2,000 years ago, hemp paper was commonly utilized. This is
astounding, considering that only 0.05% of world paper production today
is made from the crop.
Being a far more sustainable source of pulp than paper, hemp would
lend great benefits to the environment if humanity relied on this crop
rather than trees.
9) Clothing
Hemp was first woven into fabric between 7,000 and 8,000 B.C. but is
rarely used nowadays. Perhaps that’s because hemp clothing has earned
the reputation of being rough and tough.
Thanks to modern methods of working with the crop, however, even the
high fashion industry is playing with hemp, merging it with silk for
lingerie. Of course, its durability could be applied to more obvious
applications, such as sportswear and outdoor clothing.
Credit: leafly.com
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