Hemp, a Sustainable Crop for the Future Times of Hemp

What is sustainability ?

Sustainability has been defined as the ability to maintain the equilibrium of a certain process or state in any system. It is now used more often in connection with biological and human systems. In an ecological context, sustainability can be defined as the ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes, functions, biodiversity, and productivity into the future.

Sustainability is expressed in concepts of human organization, such as; eco-municipalities, sustainable cities and human activities and disciplines, such as; sustainable agriculture, sustainable architecture and renewable energy.

For humans to live sustainably, the Earth's resources must be used at a rate at which they can be replenished. However, there is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living in an unsustainable way and that an unprecedented collective effort is needed to bring human use of natural resources back to sustainable limits.

In 1989, the World Commission on Environment and Development articulated what has now become a widely accepted definition of sustainability: "to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

In recent decades, the effects of unsustainable practices have become more apparent than ever. Accelerated climate change, inhuman working conditions and the growing economic gap between countries are some of the biggest problems we are facing today.

By implementing sustainable agricultural and industrial techniques, we can help address these challenges and ensure a better future for generations to come. But to be successful, we need to find a viable way to thrive from a social, environmental, and economic perspective.

This is where hemp and its potential for industrial scale cultivation come in.

Although it belongs to the same family as marijuana, hemp is a harvest crop that does not produce a psychoactive effect. This hardy plant can serve more than 2,500 purposes and is inherently sustainable, allowing us to overcome many of the obstacles associated with irresponsible farming and manufacturing.

What is hemp ? _

Before going over the sustainability of hemp, it is important to understand a little more about this plant. As we mentioned before, industrial hemp belongs to the same family as marijuana. But this crop does not produce concentrated levels of THC, so it is not consumed recreationally.

For centuries, hemp has been used by dozens of different civilizations to produce cloth and other goods. It has a fibrous material similar to jute, which can be made into a variety of different products. It also has natural compounds called cannabinoids that can be used to make oils and other powerful supplements.

And the best part is that hemp represents a much more sustainable alternative to cotton and other traditional crops.

Hemp has been one of the most important crops for humanity until this last century. It's amazing how the widespread use of hemp has deteriorated to such a point that people hardly recognize it as anything other than a “getting high” plant.

Hemp was probably the first plant cultivated for textile fiber. Archaeologists found a remnant of hemp cloth in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iran and Iraq) dating back to 8,000 B.C. C. Hemp is also believed to be the oldest example of human industry. In the Lu Shi, a Chinese work from the Sung dynasty (500 AD), we find a reference to Emperor Shen Nung (28th century BC) who taught his people to cultivate hemp to make cloth. Hemp is believed to have arrived in Europe around 1200 BC. C. From there, it spread throughout the ancient world.

China appears to have the longest continuous history of hemp cultivation (more than 6,000 years). France has grown hemp for at least 700 years to the present day, and Spain similarly. While Russia was a major producer and supplier for hundreds of years.

The Chinese were the first to recognize the usefulness of hemp in making paper. Approximately in the year 150 a. C., they produced the first paper in the world, completely made of hemp. The oldest documents written on paper are Buddhist texts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, composed of a mixture of bark and old rags, mainly hemp. Hemp has been used as a medicine around the world for centuries. Folk remedies and ancient medicines refer to the healing values ​​of the leaves, seeds and roots. The seed and flowers were recommended for difficult deliveries, convulsions, arthritic joints, rheumatism, dysentery, and insomnia.

During the Middle Ages, hemp became an important crop of enormous economic and social value, supplying much of the world's food and fiber needs. Sailboats became dependent on “canvas” (from the word cannabis), hemp rope and oakum due to it being 3 times stronger than cotton and resistant to salt water. In the United Kingdom, in 1535, Henry VIII passed a law requiring all owners to plant 1/4 acre or be fined. During this period, hemp was a major crop and until the 1920s, 80% of clothing was made from hemp textiles.

The major hemp crisis arose in the United States during the 1930s because of propaganda created from vested interests by the new oil-based synthetic textile companies and the big and powerful lumber and newspaper barons who they saw hemp as the biggest threat to their business. The 1930s merge, unsurprisingly, with DuPont's patent for its new "plastic fiber." By the 1930s, new machinery, which separated the fiber from the rest of the plant, was available and affordable.

These innovations simplified harvesting and production, making them more profitable. Manufacturers were also interested in by-products such as seed oil for paint and lacquer, and hurds for paper. According to the February 1938 issue of Popular Mechanics (written in early 1937), hemp was then on the verge of becoming "the billion-dollar crop."

However, in September 1937, the United States government, under the influence of the synthetic textile lobby (such as DuPont) and various other powerful groups that saw hemp as a great threat to their businesses, proposed prohibitive tax laws. and imposed an occupational tax. special tax on hemp merchants. Later that same year, hemp production was banned entirely. The Canadian government, following the American example, banned production under the Opium and Narcotics Act on August 1, 1938.

World War II provided a new opportunity. The Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1942 cut off the US from its main source of imported hemp. To meet the demand for war production, the US and Canadian governments lifted the restrictions. Until the end of the war, farmers with special permits grew hemp to supply the war effort.

To encourage farmers to grow hemp during this period, the United States Department of Agriculture released the film "Hemp for Victory." It stated: “In 1942, patriot farmers at the request of the government planted 36,000 acres of hemp seed, an increase of several thousand percent. The goal for 1943 is 50,000 acres of hemp seed."

However, the ban on growing hemp was maintained after World War II. Hemp, which has historically had over 25,000 diverse uses ranging from paints, printing inks, varnishes, paper, government documents, bank notes, food, textiles (the original 'Levi's' jeans were made from hemp fabric) , canvases (artists' canvases were used by the great masters) and construction materials are still prohibited in this country whose Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.

With modern technical developments, the uses for composite boards, motor vehicle brake and clutch pads, plastics, fuels, biodiesel and eco-solid fuel have increased. In fact, anything that can be made from a hydrocarbon (fossil fuel) can be made from a carbohydrate, but strong lobbies still manage to keep the growth of this useful plant prohibited and continue to disappoint the public and prevent development. of this important crop.

The benefits and versatility of hemp

In modern times, hemp's versatility extends far beyond oil and textiles, even serving to improve the health of the planet. For starters, hemp production has been found to decontaminate the soil, and its average cultivation time of three to four months is much less time consuming compared to other plants used in textiles. Additionally, the hardy plants require little water and few pesticides to grow, significantly reducing environmental impact.

And as the negative effects of climate change become more apparent, hemp is increasingly replacing various materials that cause damage to the environment. A notable example can be found in the construction industry, where hemp-based alternatives are now widely available. Instead of concrete, which typically contains harmful chemicals and ingredients, green homebuilders and homeowners can invest in strong yet lightweight blocks made from hemp, as well as other types of sustainable building materials.

What makes industrial hemp such an attractive and sustainable alternative is its many environmental benefits. These positive impacts exist in three areas of sustainability: social, economic, and ecological. Industrial hemp is environmentally and inherently sustainable in multiple areas. This is how we can benefit from hemp and even make up for bad farming practices. For example, hemp seeds and fibers are used to make concrete, plastic, fuel, rope, and food, and its natural compounds are used for medicinal purposes, including CBD oils and other supplements.

Hemp is naturally resistant to diseases and pests

The use of chemicals, pesticides, and fungicides have a disastrous effect on the environment, including polluting soil, water, and air, reducing biodiversity, and resulting diseases. The most important industrial crops, such as cotton and soybeans, are grown with the use of intensive pesticides, which has a drastic impact on the global use of chemicals.

Planting and harvesting industrial hemp eliminates the use of chemical controllers.

Hemp is very hardy and naturally resistant to fungi, insects, and diseases. Therefore, farmers do not have to use chemicals to manage their crops when growing hemp.

Reliance on more natural plants, such as hemp, may also benefit agricultural development, as climate change threatens food security and production and leads to potential supply shortages.

Hemp conserves water use

Textile crops, such as cotton, typically require a considerable amount of water to grow to their full potential. Nearly a third of all textiles in the world are made from cotton, and as the main staple crop, cotton has 57% exposure to water stress. This condition puts enormous pressure on our natural resources. For example, to make a cotton t-shirt, 2,700 liters of water are needed.

Hemp, on the other hand, is a less water-intensive crop that uses significantly less water, allowing for conservation rather than careless use. Additionally, hemp needs less soil per pound of fiber to grow and is capable of flourishing in many different climates and soil types.

Hemp returns nutrients to the soil

Inadequate farming practices strip the soil of its nutrients without allowing sufficient time for soil replenishment. The result of this destructive practice is soil degradation, which ultimately affects the health of food crops and overall productivity.

Hemp returns many of its nutrients to the soil, so the soil becomes healthier and erosion slows down. Additional benefits to the land include the use of hemp for phytoremediation, a process in which the plant can be used to remove excess selenium from the soil, essentially cleaning up the environment.

Hemp is a sustainable fuel source

The world is highly dependent on a variety of fuel sources. As such, the planet suffers from the environmental damage caused by oil extraction and fossil fuel emissions, led by companies that are exempt from most corporate taxes and are unlikely to halt production any time soon. However, hemp is an ideal means of changing course, and industrial hemp is a convenient and natural source of biodiesel, a fuel made from plant matter.

Most biofuels can use large amounts of valuable farmland needed to grow food. That's not a problem for hemp because it can grow in poor soil and doesn't have to be grown on valuable farmland devoted to food crops.

Biodiesel created with industrial hemp is derived from hemp seeds rather than plants. Hemp seeds are often discarded, but can be reappropriated for biofuel purposes, providing another example of hemp's ecological status and versatility.

Hemp helps stop deforestation

Our planet loses an estimated 19 million acres of forest each year, and tropical deforestation, in particular, continues at an unsustainable rate. Often these forests are cleared to make way for agricultural land for crops or the trees are harvested for products such as paper.

Industrial hemp fiber can be grown in smaller spaces and at a lower cost than the wood fiber used to make paper. Unlike wood pulp, which comes from trees that take two decades to mature, an acre of hemp can produce four times more paper pulp than trees and in a much shorter time.

Even better, hemp paper is recyclable for much longer than paper created from the wood of trees. Wood pulp paper can typically be recycled up to three times, while hemp paper can be reused seven to eight times. Hemp pulp has a higher concentration of cellulose than wood pulp and produces stronger paper without depleting the environment.

Hemp is an eco- friendly building material

The global demand for cement is expected to increase, with concrete, a major component of cement, being the second most used resource. And with 8%, it is the second largest producer of CO2 emissions. Using hemp to make concrete can make a dent in those sobering figures.

Hempcrete, a concrete made from hemp, is beginning to be used around the world, particularly in areas of France and England. The main benefits of hempcrete are its means of regulating moisture, supporting load-bearing walls, and serving as a form of insulation.

Hemp can be a biodegradable plastic

Billions of pounds of plastic have been created in the last 60 years, and it is estimated that nearly half of all plastic is single-use plastic with detrimental impacts on people and surrounding wildlife. Plastics buried in landfills can leach chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Additionally, floating plastic debris can be a means of transportation for invasive species and harmful microorganisms.

Hemp plastics are lightweight yet durable and are completely biodegradable. Even better, hemp plastics do not contain the chemicals found in regular plastics. Those chemicals can affect serious changes in the human endocrine system. Using hemp plastics is a safe and healthy option for the environment.

Hemp grows fast and clean

Depending on the breed of industrial hemp, the plant can be ready for fiber harvest in as little as 60 days. While the trees used for wood pulp can take 10-20 years to harvest, hemp grows much faster and provides benefits quickly.

The speed and quality of hemp growth means it is an excellent replacement for non-organic cotton. With its strength and variety, hemp can be a better long-term investment for the consumer and the environment.

Conclusion

We are still discovering the wide variety of uses that hemp provides to man, and we cannot expect a crop like hemp to solve all of our climate change problems. But people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of global warming on our environment and our lives, and soon, hemp may be one of the sustainable resources leading the way in a climate revolution.