Hemp’s ability to make the buzz-worthy compound CBD has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. But that isn’t all hemp can do. It has the potential to do a lot of good for the environment by, among other things, providing environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday products. Continue reading to discover 3 ways hemp can benefit the planet.
1) It Can Help Clean The Earth
That’s right, hemp can clean the Earth. This means that biomass from these plants won’t be wasted. A group of German scientists confirmed these results later, finding that hemp could absorb lead, mercury, and cadmium from contaminated land. Multiple studies have been conducted over the years to prove hemp’s phytoremediation abilities. In the 1990s, a study was done to determine if hemp could remove heavy metals from Chernobyl fields. Numerous studies have been conducted to further investigate hemp’s cleaning abilities. This means that the plant can absorb any soil substance into its tissues.
2) It Is A Potential Alternative To Unsustainable Products
Hemp is one of the strongest natural fibers on the planet and was chosen by sailors who wanted sails that could withstand long journeys. It was used to make important products such as boat sails, rope, food, and clothing. The word canvas, which is the material used to make boats, actually comes from cannabis.
Although most ships have motors at this time, it doesn’t mean that hemp isn’t still useful. As we mentioned, hemp can be used for clothing production, making it an attractive alternative to polyester-based products or cotton. To grow and process hemp, requires about twice the amount of water as cotton. Farmers can also produce three times the amount of hemp fiber from lafermeducbd. Hemp is also resilient, so it can withstand pests and other weeds. It does not require harmful pesticides or herbicides like cotton, which accounts for about 17% of the world’s pesticide usage. Pesticides have been shown to cause human health problems as well as environmental issues like contaminated waterways or depleted soil fertility.
A hemp is also a biodegradable option to polymer-based, non-biodegradable plastics. Plastic bottles can survive for up to 450 years in the sea, eventually breaking down into tiny pieces that are then microscopic. It is estimated that 8,000,000 plastics enter the ocean every day. These small pieces of plastic end up in the stomachs of fish and other marine creatures, causing havoc to the ocean ecosystem.
3) It Could Reduce Our Dependence On Fossil Fuels
60% of US energy comes from fossil fuels. Mining these materials can be very dangerous and cause long-term health problems for miners. When they are combusted, fossil fuels like natural gas, gasoline, and coal release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. These compounds have been linked with health problems like cancer and blood disorders.
The Hemp biofuel is unique in that it can be made from hemp oil, while ethanol and methanol can both be made from the rest of the plant. It sounds like a miracle crop when you consider that hemp can absorb CO2 from the air through photosynthesis and cleans the soil.
Hemp can be used to make almost any material made from wood, cotton, or plastic, and it has a very low environmental impact. It’s a lucrative cash crop that can be grown anywhere, and researchers are releasing more of their findings to show that hemp has the potential to heal the entire world.