10 Interesting Uses for Hemp That Can Change the World
Hemp is one of the most useful and versatile plants on earth! Hemp is a super-plant. It's been used as fabric, building material, food source, and medicine for thousands of years - and now it's legal to grow in the United States once again. Hemp was a widespread crop in the U.S.until its prohibition in 1937, thanks to the Marihuana Tax Act. Our understanding of the hemp plant has been lost over time - now it is time to reclaim hemp and its many uses.
Here are 10 interesting uses for hemp that can change the world:
#1 SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT!
Hemp can literally help to regenerate our soil, and cool the planet. It grows extremely fast, and is a completely sustainable and renewable resource. Through regenerative farming practices, hemp can help to create fertile soil that can not only produce more hemp, but support edible plants as well. Hemp helps create a healthy agriculture cycle that continuously replenishes the land instead of degrading it. Hemp also works to capture CO2 from our atmosphere, leaving the area carbon neutral and contributing to a cooler planet.
#2 HOLISTIC HEALING
CBD is one of the many compounds found in hemp. It has been proven to help prevent tumor growth in various cancer studies. You can find CBD in many products which you can buy legally without a prescription. Studies have also shown that CBD can help alleviate pain, reduce anxiety and create a sense of calm.
#3 COSMETICS
There are lots of trends that come and go in cosmetics. Hemp however, has so many undeniable benefits that it is here to stay. Hemp seeds are moisturizing, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory. They do not clog pores, and can actually help balance skin. There are also compounds such as CBD, CBD-A, and CBG, that can be extracted from the plant. These compounds are amazing for your skin and can help contribute to a more youthful appearance.
#4 FOOD
Hemp seeds can help alleviate hunger and malnutrition. They can be a huge part of vegan and vegetarian diets due to its small size and big punch. The seeds are extremely nutrient dense, and provide you with a complete protein. A complete protein means that all nine of the essential amino acids needed for the human body are present. In addition to protein, hemp seeds also offer an array of vitamins and nutrients such as: magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin B to name a few. Hemp seeds have a very mild nutty flavor, so they can easily be added to meals like shakes, as a salad topping or baked into a yummy treat.
#5 FUEL
Thanks to hemp biomass, which are the leftovers after flower cultivation, there are two types of fuel that can be created: hemp ethanol/methanol and hemp biodiesel. This is awesome but not a completely new idea. When Henry Ford launched FORD Motors, he intended for his cars to run on vegetable or seed oils like hemp. He spent twelve years researching, and developed a prototype car using hemp fuel in a cellulose plastic body. Unfortunately thanks to prohibition, hemp was quickly removed from the arena as we leaned into the use of fossil fuels.
#6 PLASTIC ALTERNATIVE
Plastic has proven to be so incredibly damaging to humans, animals, our food, and our environment that it is past time to find a replacement. Much like plastic made from petroleum - hemp plastic is made using the plant's cellulose. It does not contain harmful toxins, it’s biodegradable, renewable and easy to recycle.
#7 BUILDING MATERIALS
Most building materials are not truly sustainable and actually contribute to further depletion of our earth’s natural resources. Hemp can be used in many ways to contribute to healthier communities and the environment. Hempcrete is a viable option to replace concrete. In this process, hemp is blended with limestone to create a durable and fireproof brick in order to build out the structural frame. Hemp can also be used to insulate and soundproof walls, to carpet floors and even be laid as a replacement to hardwood flooring.
#8 INK
Hemp oil can be used as a non-toxic base for tattoo, henna and writing. Traditional ink includes toxic substances like petroleum that can harm us as well as the environment. Hemp ink also dries faster than traditional ink making it ideal no matter the canvas.
#9 PAPER
The earliest paper found was made of hemp. Our founding fathers even used hemp paper on the first and second drafts of the Declaration of Independence. It is more durable than paper made from trees, and does not deteriorate like its counterpart. Hemp outpaces the growth of trees by decades making it an extremely renewable resource not only for writing paper, but toilet paper as well.
#10 CLOTHING
Fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry that contributes lots of global waste and pollution. (Learn more about fast fashion and its impact.) Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet. It can be grown organically a lot easier and yield way more during harvests than its counterpart cotton. Hemp is also stronger and more durable than cotton, and at the end of hemp's life cycle, it can be placed into your compost due to its natural biodegradability.