How does hemp help fight climate change?

Hemp is certainly one of the most valuable crops in the world today.

Not only does it produce the versatile medicinal substance cannabidiol (CBD) in larger doses than cannabis, it also has several environmentally friendly uses. Scientists around the world are already recognizing its potential to fight the seemingly tough battle against climate change. It can be used to make a wide variety of things from building materials to paper, cotton, food and more, but it has such great value for both the economy and the ecosystem.

This is how hemp can help fight climate change.

Hemp absorbs enormous amounts of carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by industrial processes, especially fossil fuels and livestock, is one of the main culprits behind the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. While plants can absorb CO2 well, hemp has been shown to be so efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide compared to other trees and plants.

A 2010 scientific report found that every ton of hemp can absorb up to 1.63 tons of carbon dioxide. In addition, it can lock in the gas and store it for as long as hemp is alive. Is not that incredible? It’s also much easier to use hemp, as the plant can grow 13 feet in just 100 days, while other newly planted tree species take decades to mature.

But there’s another way hemp can help people reduce reliance on CO2 emissions: Since we’re so dependent on fossil fuels and products made from them, we can use hemp biofuel instead, an excellent renewable natural Energy source that is safer for us and the planet compared to petrochemicals.

Hemp instead of cotton

Every year 27 million tons of cotton are produced worldwide. We use them in a variety of everyday items, from clothing to fishing nets, towels, tents, and other things. But did you know that the chemicals used to make cotton are highly toxic and many of them are classified as dangerous by the World Health Organization?

It takes 1,440 gallons of water to grow every pound of cotton. Because of this, cotton growing around the world is devastating tons of land as all natural waters are depleted to meet the water needs of growing cotton. Hemp, on the other hand, only takes half of it to grow. But as a result, hemp produces fibers that are twice the amount of cotton per hectare.

Hemp fabric is an excellent alternative to cotton. It is time we stigmatized the use of cotton and insisted on hemp fabrics to put pressure on world governments. The benefits of using hemp fabrics are numerous: they are stronger, more durable, more absorbent, and they can even insulate much better compared to cotton.

Hemp reduces deforestation

Deforestation continues around the world just to make paper, and the trees needed to make paper take anywhere from 50 to up to 500 years to mature. However, hemp can be grown and matured in 100 days, making four times as much paper in a given period of 20 years.

In fact, the quality of hemp paper is much better compared to what other trees produce. It’s an inexpensive and more sustainable alternative to paper.

Hemp is gentle on the soil

Global soil erosion is reducing the earth’s resilience to global warming. In the past, experts have suggested costly solutions like additional water filtration systems to deal with the rising nitrogen levels in the soil, but in fact the simple method of hemp planting can make a huge difference in itself.

The cultivation of industrial hemp does more for agricultural land; it regenerates and repairs damaged soil while reducing the nitrogen that seeps into the water. Additionally, hemp’s deep roots can reach 9 feet, which helps break up compact soil, aerate it, and improve the uptake and uptake of nutrients by plants at any time of the year. Additionally, when hemp roots grow into the soil, they help make the soil richer and more fertile.

Soils are also prone to contamination because of the many chemicals used to grow food. The chemicals and pesticides also get into our food through surface runoff from contaminated water. All of this has a very negative impact on the environment and also means that these contaminants end up on our plates and make us sick in the long term. Growing hemp can reduce the toxic metals as the plants ingest them.

Hemp can replace plastic

Plastic is by far the most notorious man-made product in terms of environmental impact. The main material used in the manufacture of plastic is cellulose, which is obtained from petroleum, an industrial product. Cellulose is not biodegradable and is toxic if ingested; it can even cause deadly diseases like cancer. Just imagine how much plastic is currently polluting our oceans, poisoning fish and the people who depend on it. Hemp plastic could be the solution!

Plastic bags, as well as other plastic products like water bottles, only end up in the ocean or in landfills, but wherever they end up, they take millions of years to decompose, and there are risks and problems in both environments. Even if it breaks down in the ocean, it breaks down into smaller particles that are taken up by the marine ecosystem.

Why aren’t we using more hemp plastics? It is an environmentally friendly version of cellulose that is safer and also biodegradable. Cellulose derived from hemp is easy to make, reusable and an environmentally friendly solution for plastic.

Diploma:

Hemp cultivation will clearly have a major impact on combating climate change. Hemp biofuel research is showing great results as a form of energy and fuel, while hemp batteries are now also being considered by electric vehicle manufacturers. But it won’t happen until there is a worldwide reputation for using hemp as an alternative. What can we do to make the call even louder?

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