Hemp: a cure for making industries greener

cannabis hemp hemp

Hemp: a cure for making industries greener

Hemp offers clear advantages for soils, production processes, renewable fuels and, more generally, the creation of a sustainable economy.

Cannabis is made up of certain molecules called cannabinoids, the two main components of which are THC and CBD (or cannabidiol), the latter being non-psychoactive. CBD has been in the headlines for several years. More generally, the cultivation of hemp opens up new industrial and ecological perspectives.

Ecological benefits

Cannabis is proving to be one of the best answers to environmental issues.

While the legal, medical and recreational aspects are often highlighted by the media, what is less so concerns the possible uses of cannabis for its advantages in soil preservation. Unlike cotton and many other plants used in textiles, hemp requires less water and does not require pesticides, and allows soil remediation (phytoremediation) - thanks to which hemp can absorb pollutants from the earth - and returns 60 to 70% of the nutrients it absorbs from the soil.

The cannabis plant has a wide range of uses, which makes cultivation an environmentally friendly alternative. This plant can provide oil used for cooking, fuel, personal care products, dietary supplements, beverages, baked goods, protein powder, beer, flour, and baby food. animals.

In addition, hemp is used in building materials (fiberboard, insulation, cement and mortar), paper products and industrial textiles. In addition, this plant has a myriad of agricultural advantages: it suppresses weeds, its roots provide aeration of the soil and allow the isolation of pollen.  

Production benefits

This means for the planet that hemp offers the most diverse uses for our sustainability. Thus, hemp requires half the water that cotton needs to produce a 250% higher yield, because when the whole production process is taken into account, cotton uses more than four times as much water. than hemp.

Cotton production relies on pesticides, unlike hemp, which is naturally resistant to pests. In addition, its dense foliage provides enough shade to prevent or suppress the growth of weeds. 

Industrial hemp agriculture, which is expected to grow almost double by 2026, to self-cultivation, the future of textiles is rapidly moving towards hemp-based production in North America.

With this idea, during New York Fashion Week, Korto Momolu presented his collection made up of 26 patterns created from hemp fabric.

Where the CBD craze may seem fleeting, the production of hemp for textiles is the case for cannabis. For example, jeans brand Levi's recently published information about clothing in " cottonized hemp ". As hemp is 100% biodegradable, this fabric is increasingly seen as a serious alternative to other fibers.

Renewable fuel 

As regards the possible advantages for transport, hemp replaces sources of energy non-renewable, despite the many challenges of producing hemp biodiesel made from  Cannabis Sativa Linn . Nonetheless, many scientific studies such as “Advantages and Challenges of Hemp-Based Biodiesel Production” (2015) hold great promise for the expansion of hemp for biodiesel production. 

This study notes the following: “Hemp seeds are a viable option for the production of biodiesel. This is demonstrated by the high yield of the plant, its ability to grow on sterile soil, its resistance to diseases and insects. "

This report presents amazing results, among which it notes its potential for use as a basic feedstock and for the production of biodiesel fuel.

He says: “Compared to similar crops used in large-scale commercial biodiesel production, hemp provides a substantially higher yield and higher oil content than rapeseed and soybeans. "

“In addition, biodiesel made from hemp seeds can meet the requirements of ATSM D6751 and EN 14214 for fuel quality and surpass that of conventional diesel, except in the area of ​​oxidation stability, such as this is the case with other biodiesel-based products. However, oxidation stability can be improved with the addition of antioxidants to the fuel, extending its life. " 

Positive change 

Among all the current and future uses of hemp, we need to shift our modes of transportation and purchasing habits towards those of sustainable oils, fabrics and fuels.

There is a need to educate politicians to help legalize the cannabis plant.  

Where hemp biofuels have been constantly put aside by climate change  over the years , it is imperative to incorporate this new solution. 

Well-being and health

CBD is marketed widely in the EU and is sold to alleviate a number of problems, from pain relief to stress to depression. Campaigns for CBD could help raise awareness of the benefits that cannabis in all its forms could offer.

Ainsi, le hemp is not limited to its recreational or medical use, but offers concrete solutions and quickly applicable to the industrial, economic and ecological problems of which the planet suffers.

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