Hemp is very beneficial to the environment. It helps eliminate deforestation because it produces four times as much paper as trees and grows much faster (up to 16 feet in only 110 days). According to the American Hemp Historic Association, when hemp is nourished with milk, or any high calcium fluid, it grows stronger and faster. Hemp paper also can be bleached with little or no chemicals. Hemp also helps reduce the use of pesticides. Hemp is an ecologically friendly substitute for cotton and while cotton uses 25% of the Earth's pesticides, hemp does not need any. Cotton also requires heavy irrigation while hemp flourishes with very little watering.

Fuel
Biofuels such as biodiesel and alcohol fuel can be made from the oils in hemp seeds and stalks, and the fermentation of the plant as a whole, respectively.

Future Of Hemp
In the last decade hemp has been widely promoted as a crop for the future. This is stimulated by new technologies which make hemp suitable for industrial paper manufacturing, use as a renewable energy source (biofuel), and the use of hemp derivatives as replacement for petrochemical products.

Hemp Plastic is a new techology based on 20-100% hemp fibre based plastics that can be moulded or injection moulded. The use of fibre re-inforced composites and other natural plastics are expected to become more popular as oil prices rise and the world becomes more environmentally aware.

The increased demand for health food has stimulated the trade in shelled hemp seed, hemp protein powder and hemp oil as well as finished and ready-to-eat food products using these derivatives as ingredients. Hemp oil is increasingly being used in the manufacturing of bodycare products.

Industrial Hemp
Today hemp is best known as an illegal drug in many parts of the world. However, it was probably first grown for its seed oil and stem fibre. In South Asia hemp is grown as an oil crop and for medicinal and ritual uses. There is new interest in many countries in hemp as an environment-friendly fibre crop. It replaces synthetic materials such as plastics.

Plant Cultures

 Industrial Hemp (Wikipedia)

California businesses spend millions of dollars each year importing hemp from Canada, China and Europe. Demand for hemp products such as clothing, food, body care, paper and even auto parts has been growing rapidly in recent years, with the U.S. hemp market now exceeding an estimated $270 million in annual retail sales.

Vote Hemp (Industrial Hemp)