But if we care about the environment, we should change our association to this magnificent plant.
See Industrial hemp is an extraordinarily useful plant that can provide environmentally friendly food, fiber, fuel, medicinal and building products.
Some varieties are very hardy and able to thrive in saline and heavily degraded soils. So it can grow almost anywhere! It's these characteristics that make it a great candidate to replace crops such as cotton and you can even make paper out of it, and it grows faster then trees do. So we would get 10 times more out of the same area growing hemp in comparing to growing trees.
Hemp is also a water miser and can be processed into many useful products with little energy and without requiring toxic chemicals.
Here's some other fast facts about hemp
* Hempseed has high levels of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, essential fatty acids and trace elements.
* Hempseed oil comprises nearly a third of the seeds' weight; making it a viable source for cooking oil, lighting and bio-fuel.
* Hempseed oil is also beneficial as a body care product and can be made into soaps, conditioners and lotions.
* The stalk provides an incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber that's been used in the shipping industry for centuries. As hemp can grow over ten feet tall, the long fibers are perfect for rope.
* The short fibers of the stalk can be used in textiles as a replacement or blender fiber for cotton.
* The core of the stalk can be used to make paper and organic plastics.
* The core fiber can also be utilized in producing a fiberboard that is twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard.
* The woody core, known as hurds, can be mixed with lime, sand, plaster and cement to create a very strong concrete or building bricks.
* The stalk can be used to make methanol and ethanol. (even if wind and solar power is a better option)
* The flowers and leaves are used to make medicines for treating many illnesses such as glaucoma and cancer sufferers can be prescribed it to ease pain.
* Given its fast growth, hemp may also be useful in carbon sequestration - taking carbon out of the air and putting it back into the earth.
* Hemp is a great insulation material that can be applied in the wall cavities and roof spaces of houses as a replacement for fiberglass batts.
.. and this is just a short list. If you want to know more about this incredible plant, it's history and uses, check out John McCabe's fantastic book, Hemp: What The World Needs Now, the entire contents of which can be read online for free.
Hemp is truly an amazing plant that We should be making far more use of in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment. Start looking for and requesting hemp products in your hometown, We can make a change.
I found a lovely store in Dalarö (a beautiful island South of Stockholm) called Hampavruhuset. They have a great web shop (in english/swedish) were you can buy hemp made cloths and other hemp products.
If you live in Stockholm I would recommend that you take a trip out to this beautiful Island to enjoy the stillness and eco friendly shopping.
The earth is in bloom!
Check out these wicked hemp shoes....
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