Hemp sequesters CO2

Hemp is carbon negative, meaning it traps CO2 from the environment, neutralizing its own carbon levels as it grows. This is a huge positive advantage right at the start of the product chain when other parts of the process will use energy and emit CO2. Hemp naturally helps the industry to be aligned with eco responsible output objectives. If our impact is not CO2 filled, our future will be brighter and our environment happier.

No waste

There is no waste when it comes to hemp. Every single part of the plant can be used in a variety of industries. The hemp plant can be broken down using different intermediate processes and used to make sustainable, beneficial materials. From the roots to the seeds, including fiber, flower and leaves, everything in hemp can find its usage in our economy. A great book to read to undestand how this is beneficial to economical development and sustainability is : The blue Economy by Gunter Pauli.

Pest & disease resistant (almost)

Hemp is naturally pest and disease resistant. Hemp is a tough plant that is naturally resistant to insects, fungi and diseases. As a result, hemp does not require the use of harsh persticides or chemicals during the growing process. Yet it is not fully immuned to problems and as we will use it more and more in our fields, we might have to face some critical issues, which happen for every monocrop intense agriculture fields around the globe. Great solutions for natural perst and disease coontrol can be found with permaculture masters.

Conserve water

Hemp uses about 300L of water per tonne of fiber, compared to the typical cotton, which takes over 1500L. This is great news for areas where water is very scarce or land has been depleted from nutrition with past intensive crops. If we would manage to convert fashion industry to using alternative to cotton, we would make great gift to our planet and could save lot of precious water for other usage.

Source of fuel

Studies have shown hemp biodiesel to have high efficiency and is another brillant example of hemp’s eco-friendly status and versatility. Biodiesel is not the best solution for powering our civilization but it can be used locally to help power the equipment needed to harvest and process hemp. Farmers can become more auto-sufficient and create more valuable outputs to increase their locally produced income.

Saves trees and minimizes deforestation

Deforestation is occuring as forests are cleared to make way for agricultural crops or to harvest trees for more paper. For equivalent output of material, Hemp can grow in smaller spaces as it is a highly dense crop, reducing the need for deforestation. Overall, hemp can save trees and repair the harm done to the environment by deforestation. We must stop cutting old trees and forests, rather we should focus on optimizing the already widely available agriculture space we occupy.

Phytoremediation

Hemp is known as one of the best phytoremediation agriculture plant in the world. It nourishes the soil it grows on, improve the health of the soil and inhibits erosion. Hemp cleans the air, soil, and water from hazardous contaminants, benefiting the environment and helps restore balance on previously polluted lands. Of course, hemp used to clean contaminated land should not the be used to harvest medicinal or food ingredients, rather used as storage of this pollution (see hempcrete below).

Fossil plastic alternative

Hemp plastic is light, durable and doesn’t contain as many chemicals found in regular plastics. Almost half of all the plastic previously created is single-use and ends up in landfills, alternative plastics which can biodegrade or compost faster while being more environmentally friendly to produce would be a great alternative to previous single use plastic recipes. Hemp composites are cheaper and stronger than fiber glass and carbon fiber for creating car elements for example, they would help reduce the power needed to carry the car further and longer.

High yield

Hemp requires less land to produce the same amount of fiber as other plants due to its natural density. Per acre, hemp produces more fiber than cotton (250%) and flax (600%). Hemp is one of the fastest growing crops, taking aboout 4 months to mature compared to cotton which takes 6 months. In some regions, we could dream about two crops per year and be able to feed a lot more different output products.

Carbon negative construction material

Hempcrete is a non-toxic, renewable and energy efficient way of replacing some concrete in housing and small buildings. Hempcrete is created by mixing hemp fiers with lime to build compete carbon negative construction materials. It can regulate moisture and is resistant to insects, fire and mold.