EAP Publications | Virtual Library | Magazine Rack | Search | What's new
Join the Ecological Solutions Roundtable
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF HEMP
- Hemp grown for the production of biomass fuels can
provide all of our gas, oil and coal energy needs and end
dependency on fossil fuels.
- Hemp results in a 95.5% fuel-to-feed ratio when used for
pyrolysis the thermochemical process that converts
organic matter into fuel.
- Biomass has heating value of up to 8,000 BTU/lb., with
virtually no residual sulphur or ash during combustion.
- Biomass fuels offer a clean alternative to fossil fuels.
No sulphur oxides are released, either during pyrolysis
or combustion. A closed CO2 system is created.
According to Stanley Manahan, «Environmental Chemistry
», biomass fuels would not result in any net CO2
being added to the atmosphere.
- Hemp is the #1 producer of biomass per acre in the world.
Biomass energy expert Lynn Osburn estimates that 1 1/2 to
3 1/2 million acres of hemp would replace all of Canada's
fossil fuel demands.
- From 75°/O to 90% of all paper was made with hemp fiber
until the late 1800's.
- U.S.D.A. bulletin #404 outlined a process for the
production of paper using pulp and demonstrated that hemp
could replace 40% to 70% of all tree pulp paper,
including corrugated boxes, computer paper and paper bag.
- An acre of hemp will produce as much pulp for paper as
4,1 acres of trees over a 20 year period.
- The hemp paper-making process requires no
dioxin-producing chlorine bleach and uses 75% to 85% less
sulphur-based acid.
- Hemp paper is suitable for recycle use 7 to 8 times,
compared with 3 times for wood pulp paper.
- By utilizing hemp pulp for paper, we could stop the
deforestation of our country and produce stronger, more
environmentally sound paper for less than 3/: of the
price of wood pulp paper. The paper mills now in place
would need almost no conversion in order to switch from
wood to hemp pulp.
- Hemp produces the strongest, most durable natural
soft-fiber on earth. Until the 1 820's, up to 80% of all
textiles and fabrics for clothes, canvas, linens and
cordage were made principally from hemp.
- Hemp cloth is stronger, more durable, warmer and more
absorbent than cotton. Best of all. ' grown in Canada,
cotton cannot.
- An acre of land will produce 2 to 3 times as much fiber
as cotton, about 1,000 Ibs. of fiber per acre.
- Hemp grown in most parts of Canada will require no
herbicide, fungicide or insecticide applications. Up to
½ of all agricultural pesticides used in North America
are applied to the cotton crop.
- Natural, organic hemp fiber breathes and is recyclable,
unlike petroleum-based synthetic fibers.
- A fully mature hemp plant may contain 1/2 of its
dry-weight in seed.
- Hemp seed has an oil content of 34 % more than any other
seed. Hemp seed oil is second only to whale oils in its
quality and has the same burning qualities and viscosity
as #2 grade heating oil without any of the sulphur-based
pollutants.
- Once hemp seed oil has been extracted, the remaining seed
cake is second only to soya bean for protein content and
is an excellent source of nutrition for either farm
animals or humans.
AGRICULTURAL BENEFITS OF HEMP
- England, France and Spain have all legalized low THC
varieties of hemp for an agricultural crop. England
planted 1,500 acres of hemp as a first year crop. Reports
from England state that farmers are receiving in excess
of 3,000$ per acre for their hemp crop.
- Low THC hemp is not suitable as a psychoactive drug.
- A Canadian report from the late 1800's demonstrated that
hemp works very well in rotation with bean and corn
crops.
- In 1991 Ontario farmers receiver 290$ and 240$ per acre
for grain corn and soya bean respectively.
- Hemp was grown successfully in Canada for over 100 years.
For a period in the late 1800's Canada produced 'hi: of
all England's hemp requirements. At kite time, England
was the largest hemp consumer in the world.
- In the 1930's, a South Western Ontario newspaper reported
that Canadian grown hemp was among the best in the world
and far superior to tropical hemp.
- In Canada hemp can be grown successfully from our
southern borders to approximately 60O North
Latitude, the parallel that divides the North West
Territories from the provinces. This remarkable range is
possible due to hemp's short growing season, usually 90
to 110 days.
- The hemp plant will reach a height of up to 5m (16ft.)
and sink a main tap root down 1 ft. This tap root will
draw nutrients from deep in the soil and make them
available to subsequent crops when the hemp leaves are
shed on the soil. This extensive root system also helps
to alleviate the problem of soil compaction.
- Hemp is very easy on the soil and returns up to 60% of
the nutrients it takes from the soil, when dried in the
field.
- A report from Kentucky states that hemp was grown on the
same land for 14 consecutive years without soil depletion
or reduction in yield.
- Hemp is very economical crop to grow since it requires
virtually no pesticide applications.
- Hemp is also relatively drought-resistant and has been
relied upon several times during drought-induced famine
for its high protein seed.
- Hemp is very resistant to increased UV radiation and
should not suffer decreased yields, unlike soya bean and
corn.
Copyright © 1996. Chanvre en Ville,
3418A, ave. du Parc, Montreal.
Info Request | Services | Become EAP
Member | Site Map
Give us your comments about
the EAP site
Ecological Agriculture Projects, McGill University (Macdonald
Campus)
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9 Canada
Telephone:
(514)-398-7771
Fax:
(514)-398-7621
Email: eapinfo@macdonald.mcgill.ca
To report problems or otherwise comment on the structure of this site, send mail to the
Webmaster