THE CANNABIS CONVERSATION: Can Industrial Hemp Save the Planet? – Lost Coast Outpost

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Hemp,or Cannabis sativa L, was legalized for commercial production by theU.S. Farm Bill of 2018. To comply with federal law, the hemp musttest below .3 percent THC and must be cultivated by licensed growers.Since then, hemp production has exploded across the nation, as haveconversations about hemps usefulness in industrial applicationsand environmental remediation.

Infact, some argue that hemp can save the planet through carbonsequestration, phytoremediation of contaminated soils, biofuelproductionand the creation of earth-friendly consumer, industrialandfood products. Hemp is also used to produce cannabidiol or CBD, whichoffers many health benefits and will be discussed here in the comingweeks.

CarbonSequestration

Carbonsequestration refers to the process of capturing and storing carbondioxide from the atmosphere. Because carbon dioxide absorbs and emitsinfrared radiation, it is deemed to play a significant role in theEarths surface temperature. Simply put, more carbon dioxide in theatmosphere would lead to higher temperatures here on the third rock.Without politicizing the issue, it seems that reasonable people,based on this information alone, would want less carbon in theatmosphere.

Hempcan help. A lot. While it is estimated that a hectare of pine treescan absorb approximately 10 tons of carbon dioxide per year, thesame size hemp field can absorb up to 15 tons. In certain regionstwo hemp crops can be grown a year, thus doubling this figure. Inaddition, trees take a number of years before they begin capturingsignificant amounts of atmospheric carbon, while the hemp growthcycle is just 120 days.

Phytoremediation

Phytoremediationrefers to the use of plants to absorb contaminants in soil andgroundwater. Industrial activity, oil & gas spills, agriculturalchemicalsand buried waste materials contribute to soil andgroundwater contamination. Heavymetals, pharmaceutical compounds and other toxins are now a majorthreat to both soil and water quality around the world. Certainplants, called hyperaccumulators, can grow in contaminated soil orwater. They absorb the pollutants through their root system andcontaminants then concentrate in plant tissue over time. This processcleanses the soil and allows abandoned lands to be reclaimed forproductive use.

Phytoremediationhas been somewhat inefficient in the past as many hyperaccumulatorshave shallow roots and are smaller in size, thus limiting how manytoxins could be extracted and accumulated in the plants tissue.Hemp plants, on the other hand, have a deep taproot and can grow verylarge, allowing for much greater environmental benefits. Afterharvest, the contaminatedhemp biomass can be used in biofuel production, helping toovercome the economic constraint hampering the adoption ofphytoremediation more broadly.

Hemp,in the eyes of many, is a more environmentally responsible solutionto the very serious and increasing problem of soil and groundwatercontamination. Proponents argue that hemp cultivation is preferredover traditional methods of remediating contaminated land such asexcavation, incineration, or the use of chemical additives tostabilize contaminants. Additionally, hemp fields are known forbiodiversity friendliness.

Biofuel

Itis no mystery that fossil fuels are problematic. Resource wars,pollution and potential climate impacts are areas of controversy andheated debate. The hemp seed contains approximately 30 percent oil,and this oil can be transformed into biodiesel. Hemp can also be usedto produce methanol, ethanol and biogas. The hemp seed renders moreoil than other crops like soybean, sunflower or peanuts, making itsuse far more efficient as a source of biofuel. Hempbiodiesel is said to outperform conventional diesel in nearly allperformance areas.

IndustrialProducts

Hempfiber has been used for thousands of years and has been traced backto 8,000 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia where researchers found hempcloth. The long, straight hemp fibers have incredible strength andare currently used for paper products, textiles, insulation andcordage like twine, yarn, rope and string.

Interestingly,a waste product from hemp fiber production is hemp shives. Shiveswhen combined with lime and a binding agent form hempcrete, anon-load-bearing substitute for concrete. Hempcrete is strong, weighs90 percent less than concrete, is flame- and mold-resistant, andinsulates incredibly well. Hemp cellulose can be formed intobiodegradable plastics and high-strength plastics which are currentlybeing explored by automakers Porsche, BMW and others.

Food

Hempis also healthy for ones diet. Hemp seeds contain between 25-35percent fatty acid-rich oil and 20-25 percent protein.Theyare also high in fiber, magnesium and other nutrients. Hemp seed isprocessed into oil or milk or consumed as hemp hearts and added tothings like salad. Hemp oil is often used as a supplement and isinfused into beauty products, while hemp milk is non-dairy andreportedly non-allergenic.

Challenges

Likemost things, hemp production has a couple of downsides. While hempcan be grown with less water, nutrients, and pesticides than othercommercial crops, farming it at scale will put some strain on naturalresources. That said, hemp production is said to be carbon negative,meaning the crop will sequester or absorb more carbon than emitted bythe equipment used to grow, process, and transport it. A more naturalor regenerative approach to hemp farming would be advised to furtherbenefit the environment.

Additionally,infrastructure in terms of processing plants would need to beconstructed to allow the mass commercialization of hemp. As we know,commercial developments are generally disruptive to the naturalenvironment. The hope would be that over time, the environmentalbenefits of more sustainable products would outweigh the initialenvironmental costs.

Hempfarming has also created enforcement issues as some hemp farms are afacade masking enormous illicit cannabis grows. As we know from ourneighbors to the north, many of Oregons hemp operations arebeing raided by law enforcement as they are actually growing high THCvarietals destined for the unregulated market. Because CBD hemp looksessentially like traditional cannabis, illicit operators aresubstituting THC plants for their hemp in attempts to score big.

Finally,hemp crops subject traditional cannabis operations tocross-pollination risk. Hemp pollen can travel many miles and seedout neighboring gardens. Given such risks, Humboldt County banned itsproduction altogether and I support that move for our region.

Despitehaving some hurdles to overcome, industrial and environmental hempapplications offer both economic and ecological promise. I expect thecoming years to show further developments and advancements in theworld of hemp. While not a panacea for all evils, perhaps hemp can bepart of a broader solution to save the world we live in.

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Jesse Duncan is a lifelong Humboldt County resident, a father of six, a retired financial advisor, and a full-time commercial cannabis grower. He is also the creator of NorCal Financial and Cannabis Consulting, a no-cost platform that helps small farmers improve their cultivation, business, and financial skills. Pleasecheck out his blogat, his Instagram at jesse_duncann, and connect with him on Linkedin.

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THE CANNABIS CONVERSATION: Can Industrial Hemp Save the Planet? - Lost Coast Outpost