How Hemp Can Help Combat Climate Change
At Green, one of our core values is environmental sustainability. We believe that as mother nature has provided us with the gift of cannabis, it is our duty to respect and protect her. Our commitment to eco-friendly practices extends beyond our products and packaging, and also into our belief in empowering others to do the same. That’s why for this Earth Day, we want to bring awareness to one of the most magical plants on earth, hemp.
Right now, our planet is facing serious challenges with pollution, global warming, and water scarcity. But could the solution to our problems lie in one of the oldest crops in human history? Today, we’re going to break down how hemp could help us combat climate change and some of the obstacles in the way.
1) Hemp absorbs carbon dioxide emissions.
One of the largest contributors to global warming is carbon dioxide emissions. When fossil fuels –such as coal and oil– are burned, they release heat-trapping gasses. These fumes blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat, which leads to rises in temperature and disrupts the Earth’s natural climate. As a result, the planet is warming faster than at any point in history and in recent decades, world leaders have made it a priority to help combat these changes. Initiatives to reach a carbon-neutral state have been insufficient, at best, because of how much damage has been done over the last hundred years. In order to help restore the planet, we would need to be in a carbon-negative state. That’s where hemp comes in.
Plants, including hemp, are natural purifiers. They are able to capture carbon dioxide from the air and sequester (or hide) it in the soil throughout its life. This makes them incredibly efficient at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, especially hemp – which breathes in four times more C02 than trees. Given that an average car emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, that means one acre of hemp can offset a year’s carbon from one vehicle.
2) It grows quickly while requiring little care.
Another plus to this wonder plant is how easily it grows. Hemp matures quickly, taking about four months to reach maturity. Additionally, it requires no pesticides – which is another contributor to greenhouse gasses. This can also be beneficial to the soil, which we’ll delve into next. On top of that, hemp needs little water compared to other plants. Other crops like cotton can require nearly 1,500 gallons of water per pound of product, while hemp needs half that to produce double the fiber on the same amount of land.
3) Hemp restores soils.
Because of how easy it grows, farmers can add hemp to their annual rotation fairly effortlessly – but, it also has some amazing benefits to doing so too. Hemp is known as a pioneer plant, which means it can be used for land reclamation. In other words, it can restore the soil if its fertility is low from overfarming. Because of the nutrients within the hemp plant, it’s an ideal crop for sustainable farming. Agriculture is often the main cause of soil degradation, meaning the quality of soil worsens over time from other crops like wheat, cotton, soya, etc. Hemp has the opposite effect.
Where hemp is grown, the soil improves. This is because of its deep root system, nutrient-dense anatomy, and lack of need for pesticides. As a result, the soil is able to flourish and eventually grow a wider range of crops. In fact, hemp can even be grown on “infertile” soil and remove radioactive elements present in the soil.
4) It’s resourceful.
Hemp is useful, to say the least. There are over 2500 known ways to use hemp, from clothing and medicine to food and building materials and more. Additionally, it’s one of the few plants where every single part of it can be used as a resource. You’ve likely seen or used hemp for yourself. It’s become an increasingly popular source of nutrients for its rich dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, and mineral content. But it’s not just good for your insides – it can also be amazing for your skin too. Hemp-derived CBD in skincare is popular for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Research also shows that hemp-derived CBD can be used to treat seizures, anxiety, and sleep problems.
But besides its health benefits, hemp is also great for making durable products. One of the plant’s oldest known usages is as a fiber to make ropes and canvas. Because the fibers are breathable and resistant to bacterial growth, it’s been a staple for making clothes that prevent odor.
So, why isn’t hemp more widely adopted?
Despite all these benefits, hemp is not widely adopted for a number of reasons. In part, hemp has only recently become federally legal as of 2018 in the United States. Unfortunately, the war on drugs has left a huge stain on the reputation of marijuana, and by association, hemp has also been vilified to a similar extent.
Another reason is that hemp is not a cheap crop to grow. According to Colorado farmer James Bennett, growing an acre of hemp can cost around $6,000 to $6,500. That is a high price to pay when an acre of cotton costs about $485.
But as we mentioned earlier, hemp doesn’t require a lot to grow – so why is the price so high?
The bulk of hemp farming costs are from the manufacturing process, but the distribution process also affects the prices. The operating expenses of CBD companies are almost twice those of other industries. Similarly, there’s a lot of cost in terms of permits, licensing fees, applications, and machinery needed to grow hemp as a raw material.
Future of hemp
As for the future of hemp, there is still a way to go. Given the late start, the United States is not as established as long-timer producers of hemp such as Canada and France. As hemp is getting noticed more for its abundant uses and benefits to mother earth, companies like Patagonia and even some states are creating initiatives to source more of the plant. At Green, we hope to see a future where hemp is recognized for the magical plant it is!
Have a Green thumb and want to help support the plant? Check out these hemp products on our menu. We also have a curated selection of flower, edibles, tinctures, and more. For all additional questions, please contact us. We’d also love for you to follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest Green news, products, and events.
