HOW CAN HEMP SAVE OUR PLANET

Eléonore Ducamp
Apr 27, 2016
2 min read

Over the years, Hemp has been too often related to marijuana which has made this crop largely underused!

Although Hemp and Marijuana are members of the same family, Cannabis sativa, they are in fact different plants. Industrial hemp contains an extremely low amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the essential element in Marijuana. Hemp has several qualities that should be more considered and also used as a powerful mean to save our planet!

Hemp can be eaten

Hemp is a source for food. It can be turned into hemp seeds and are frequently highlighted in the news due to its health benefits. They can be eaten raw and easily added to routinely-eaten meals such as cereals or granola! Hempseed can also be ground into flour for baking, or for adding to smoothies, or made into hemp milk which is a nutritious dairy alternative. Hemp also contains all three Omegas: Omega-3, -6 and -9, as well as various vitamins and minerals including the B group and iron. Hemp is an excellent addition to any diet and particularly useful for people with allergies because it is naturally gluten, nut, egg and dairy free.

Hemp can be worn

Hemp production is more efficient than cotton production. Hemp was used for thousands of years to produce sustainable textiles in massive quantities. However, the prohibition of cannabis made industrial hemp just as illegal as cannabis. In the process, the hemp textile industry was destroyed.

Cotton production is intensive as it requires high pesticide, herbicide and fungicide use. It is then bleached to give it a uniform colour. Hemp does not require these practices and is therefore a healthier option to wear against your skin. Hemp fibre also has anti-microbial properties, making it useful not only in clothing, but also for wound dressings and bandages.

Hemp can be used for building houses

Hemp can be used to build foundations of houses from concrete-like blocks made of a mix of hemp and lime called ‘hempcrete’. The blended material acts as natural insulation for a house, and during the building process it locks carbon dioxide into the structure, keeping it out of the atmosphere. An average sized house made from hempcrete is carbon negative!

Hemp can help in resolving natural disasters

With human reliance on fossil fuels and synthetic fibres the time for a solution like hemp is certainly immediate. Mass deforestation for wood pulp in agriculture is destroying the natural habitat and essentially our ecosystem! If a single crop can provide a solution to the environmental destruction for resources, it’s hemp. Growing hemp is a powerful solution for a wide range of environmental problems on our planet, from locking CO2 away into long-lasting and durable buildings, to reducing chemical use during the growing procedure, by « creating long-lasting reusable goods such as clothing and paper, and even by detoxifying nuclear waste, as demonstrated in Chernobyl ».

By choosing hemp, you are choosing a much greener, safer, healthier world!