Can Hemp Be the Key to A Sustainable Future?
The cannabis plant has been around for centuries and used for its many health benefits. You can find two types of cannabis on the market today: marijuana and hemp. And while most people are only always familiar with marijuana, its close cousin, hemp, is slowly gaining popularity.
Studies have shown that hemp could be the potential game-changer that the world needs today in recent years. It has several health benefits for both people and the planet. Several companies and research facilities have already started extensive studies on how hemp could be the miracle supplement that the world has eagerly been waiting for.
For centuries, humans have discovered several health benefits of the hemp plant. But it wasn’t until the 21st century, with technological advancements, that researchers were able to unearth the true benefits of this magic plant.
What Is Hemp?
As aforementioned, hemp is another form of cannabis that has been around for thousands of years. It is different from marijuana and should not be confused with cannabis seeds for sale. It was one of the fastest-growing plants over 10,000 years ago, and one of the first plants to be used to produce fiber.
Most people view hemp as a super-plant since you can transform all its parts into household goods and products. It’s also one of the best food sources used to manufacture hemp flour and hemp protein.
At the same time, you can use hemp to produce fabric, textile, biodegradable plastics, hempcrete, and biofuel. It is also excellent for manufacturing hemp oil and CBD tincture oil.
The Change in Attitude & Policy Towards Cannabis
In recent years, there has been a worldwide-growing acceptance of the consumption of cannabis. Countries like the UK, Uruguay, South Africa, and some states in the U.S. have legalized the consumption of cannabis both for medical and recreational use. However, you still need a prescription to consume medical cannabis. Let alone for recreational use.
As the growing concerns over the planet continue to escalate, hemp seems to be the viable crop option and lifesaver that we will look for in the future. Overall, the rising global demand for biofuel, bioplastic, and CBD from hemp is a positive indication that people and the planet itself can benefit from this upcoming multi-billion-dollar business.
A Source of Cheaper, Stronger Raw Materials
Hemp fiber made a name for itself for the many raw materials it provides its users. It’s been used to produce ropes, textiles, industrial/building materials, and hemp paper. Hempcrete is another raw material from the hemp plant people use throughout the globe. It is less brittle compared to other insulation products, making it the best material for regulating moisture. As a result, hempcrete is one of the best products for building non-load bearing walls. However, it isn’t suitable for building foundations.
Medicinal Properties of Hemp
The non-intoxicating properties of hemp also make it the best medical compound in the cannabis plant. Unlike its cousin, THC, CBD extracted from hemp doesn’t get its users high. Instead, it offers a mileage of other health benefits that people benefit from.
CBD is also one of the best supplements for treating muscle pains, pain relief, and inflammation. Due to the several health benefits that CBD offers, more countries across the globe have started easing strict control they had over the cultivation of this wonder drug and hemp in particular.
A Sustainable Fuel Source
The most used energy sources include wheat, soy, sugarcane, and maize, are already available on the market. The latest addition to the list is the hemp plant.
As you collect the oil from the hemp plant, you must take several measures that make biodiesel the best option for diesel-powered vehicles.
Some companies also convert hemp into ethanol using various fermentation methods. From the data collected so far, hemp is still the best available option than other processes that also produce ethanol. It’s much more effective compared to other energy crops currently known.
A Natural Alternative to Plastic
Many people and studies show hemp as the next best alternative to plastic. As a 100% natural product, hemp could be the next sustainable product that saves our environment and world. Bioplastic hemp is a natural alternative and one of the best biodegradable products to use in the packaging industry. Bioplastics are plastics that have been manufactured using plants or biodegradable materials.
Hemp easily ranks as the best replacement for the common petroleum-based plastics that are polluting the landfills today. Due to customers’ confluence and pressures to use sustainable products, more corporate initiatives are being forced to shift to this new plastic alternative. This should also be a good move for corporations that sell plastics since it reduces their production costs.
Is Hemp the Solution We Need?
Without a doubt, the hemp plant is one of the most important factors that we could hope to have a sustainable future. As more companies that manufacture hemp grow and expand, it is evident that this is one field that’s worth exploring in detail.
Of course, no company will be willing to work with the current environmental practices and opt more for sustainable solutions.
With the current serious increased concern for the environment, climate change, responsibility, and sustainability, the world needed an urgent solution to this crisis. And hemp easily ranks as the best alternative for healing the world. This makes it the perfect supplement for all the requirements mentioned above. Its several wonderful benefits, hemp concrete, hemp biofuel, and hemp bioplastic, all have many potentials. These raw materials are very environmentally friendly and can become the next global billion-dollar industry.
Hemp could quickly become the best and most preferred alternative to the burdens of concrete, plastic, and fuel all place on the planet. And that’s even more reason why we must explore and study this new field in-depth.