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Benefits of Hemp

Hemp has recently been rediscoverd as a plant that has enormous environmental, economic, and commercial potential. It is estimated that hemp has over 25,000 uses ranging from clothing and construction materials to food, paint and fuel. Here are some important facts about Hemp.

• Hemp is the oldest cultivated fiber plant in the world.
• One acre of hemp can produce as much paper as 4 to 10 acres of trees over a 20-year cycle, but hemp stalks only take four months to mature, whereas trees take 20 to 80 years.
• Substituting hemp for trees would save forests and wildlife habitats and would eliminate erosion of topsoil due to logging. Reduction of topsoil erosion would also reduce pollution of our lakes, rivers and streams.
• Hemp replenishes soil with nutrients and nitrogen, making it  an excellent rotational crop.
• Hemp naturally repels weed growth and hemp has few insect enemies. Few insect enemies and no weed problems means hemp requires NO HERBICIDES or NO PESTICIDES!
• All products made solely from hemp fibre are biodegradable, compostable and recyclable.
• Hemp produces more biomass than any plant that can be grown in the U.S. This biomass can
  be converted to fuel in the form of clean-burning alcohol, or no-sulphur man-made coal. Hemp has more potential as a clean and renewable energy source than any crop on earth! It is estimated that if hemp was widely grown in the U.S. for fuel/energy, it could supply 100% of all U.S. energy needs!
• Unlike virtually all hemp substitutes, growing hemp requires very little effort and very few resources. Most substitutes for hemp (sisal, kenaf, sugar cane) grow in limited geographical areas and none have the paper/fiber potential of hemp. Hemp can be grown in a wide range of latitudes and altitudes.
• Hemp converts CO2 to oxygen better than trees.
• Hemp seeds are a source of nutritious high-protein oil (after soybean) that can be used for human and animal consumption.
• Hemp produces more oil than any other crop, which can be  used for food, fuel, lubricants, soaps, etc.
• Hemp can be used for making plastics, including car parts.
• Hemp makes paper more efficiently and ecologically than wood, requiring no chemical glues.
• Hemp can be grown more than once per year.

It’s time to reintroduce hemp across the United States… the plant that can save our planet.

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