How industrial hemp improves the environment
People have always had a significant impact on the environment since their appearance. This impact reached a truly consequential scale in the 18th century, when the production of artificial materials began to grow rapidly and did not stop till present day. Industrial hemp helps us reduce this impact by using its natural properties to produce sustainable alternatives for over a thousand products.
Influence of industrial hemp
Almost half of the environmental challenges can be met by growing industrial hemp and using a variety of products made from hemp raw materials.
The main benefits of industrial hemp
Countering global warming
Cleaning up the world's oceans
Soil restoration
Reforestation and desert greening
Recycling and biodegradability
Additional benefits of industrial hemp
Natural healthy food source
Reduction of air pollution
Sustainable agriculture
Increasing biodiversity
Dioxin pollution reduction
Countering global warming
Global warming results from an increase of the temperature of the Earth’s surface and oceans largely caused by human activities, which lead to excessive emission of CO₂ into the atmosphere. Because of this, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, abnormal amounts of precipitation are falling, and the ocean is acidifying. Individually, each of these processes do not seem critical, however the Earth is a very fragile system in which all links are interconnected. Such large-scale interventions destroy this system and lead to unpleasant consequences — seismic activity and the disappearance of entire species of animals.
Hemp production is carbon negative
Meaning industrial hemp absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere during its growth period than is emitted during the process of its harvesting and further processing.
1 ha
absorbs
~7 m3 metric tons
of carbon dioxide — CO₂
for 120 days
of plant growing cycle
Cleaning up the world's oceans
70% of our planet is water. The oceans shape the Earth's climate: currents cause heat or coolness, and evaporated water forms clouds and stimulates precipitation. However, now the oceans are in danger due to constant man-made disasters, sewage and industrial waste emissions into the ocean. Microplastics are found in the ocean everywhere: from the surface to the bottom, from the ice of the Arctic to the coast of the Antarctic. It enters the organisms of all the inhabitants of the earth through food and harms their health.
Industrial hemp will replace plastic
The disposable bottles and bags made from fossil materials ending up in the ocean, will be replaced by 100% biodegradable hemp nano- and microcellulose containers
8.8 million tons
of plastic waste is dumped into the world's oceans every year
75–199 million tons
is the total mass of plastic in the ocean
Soil restoration
Soil is a resource that belongs to the category of non-renewables. In case of loss or degradation, we will not be able to restore it in any way. The condition of the soil has a direct impact on the food we eat, the water we drink, on our health and life expectancy. Among the causes of soil pollution: localized landfills used for the disposal of food waste and chemicals, heavy industry, agriculture. In contrast, industrial hemp purifies the soil with a unique root system that helps oxygenate and replenish the soil with essential minerals.
Industrial hemp protects the soil
Industrial hemp is actively used as a protection against soil dehydration, soil erosion, landslides, forest fires, etc. Also, sowing hemp along canals and riverbeds prevents floods and other natural disasters that can occur during floods.
3–5 meters
the depth of the root system of industrial hemp reaches, which is functionally similar to a small dam
Reforestation and desert greening
Forests on our planet are complex ecosystems that function according to their own laws and include plants, mushrooms, animals and microorganisms. Forests affect the climate of Earth, the quality of drinking water and the air. Due to human activity, the problem of deforestation has increased — because the intensity of deforestation is not correlated with the rate of its restoration. As a result of logging or forest fires, large areas become deserted, while entire species groups may completely disappear.
Industrial hemp will replace wood
Replacing wood with industrial hemp materials in the paper, briquettes or building materials production will lead to lower deforestation rates, because industrial hemp grows much faster and reaches a height of 3 meters within 126 days.
1 ha of hemp = 25 ha of forest
in terms of oxygen production
1 ha of hemp = 4 ha of forest
by the amount of paper produced
4 months vs 20–50 years
hemp grows faster than trees
Recycling and biodegradability
Waste is the strongest environmental challenge today. Societies in many countries have not yet realized the importance of the problem of municipal solid waste. Therefore, there are no strict regulations as well as legal acts regulating issues related to waste and garbage. Most artificial materials can take several hundred years to decompose, so the situation is critical. Developed countries are looking for an alternative, while industrial hemp and materials from it can be the solution.
Composites made from industrial hemp
Due to the natural properties of industrial hemp, such composites can break down in 30 days. Hemp fibers can be used to make packaging materials through molded fiber technology. Millions of plastic plates, glasses, utensils will turn into biodegradable garbage.
500–800 kg
of waste per city dweller per year (even up to 1,000 kg in some countries), and this number is constantly increasing.
Natural and healthy food source
Hemp seeds and hemp protein are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support cardiovascular health and help maintain muscle mass and brain function. The high content of glutamine in hemp protein is especially beneficial for intestinal health.
Air cleaning
Industrial hemp is an ultimate air purifier. The plant actively captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, quickly cleaning the air. One ton of hemp removes 1.63 tons of carbon from the air, making hemp a much more efficient carbon dioxide trap than trees.
Sustainable agriculture
Industrial hemp is resistant to most pests, so it doesn't need pesticides or herbicides, while leaving a weed-free field for the next crop during crop rotation. This enables reversible agriculture without the use of chemicals.
Increasing biodiversity
Many species of flora and fauna living in different regions and natural zones of our planet are on the verge of reduction or extinction. Cultivation of industrial hemp reduces the burden on forests, and therefore contributes to the increase of biodiversity.
Dioxin pollution reduction
A serious problem of environmental pollution is related to chlorine compounds (dioxins), the main source of which are emissions from paper factories. A gradual transition from pulp paper to a hemp pulp will reduce the level of dangerous dioxins.
