Why isn't there more hemp production?

[Narz]

Yeah, but they're butt-ugly (and not cute girl butt, no we're talking wrinkled old fat man butt)

You're kidding? I think they're awesome! But I suppose you young people like your swooshes and swishes and gaudy colors, suit yourself.

Plus they have no laces! Over the course of a year I'll save countless hours that you'll be wasting lacing and unlacing your shoes! Muhahahahaha!!!!!

 

[Narz]

Is there any proof regarding hemp's lower environmental impact?

http://www.ecolomart.com/hemp.htm

Why Hemp?

The environmental benefits of hemp are incredible. Hemp can displace (conventional) cotton which is grown with massive amounts of chemicals harmful to people and the environment. Ten percent of all the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton. Hemp fibers are stronger, more absorbent and more mildew resistant than cotton. -HEMPTECH

There are many other benefits of hemp as well that did not go unnoticed by our predecessors. For instance, 1 acre produces as much paper as 4 acres of trees. In fact, the original draft of the American Constitution was written on hemp!

It is important to make the distinction between industrial hemp and marijuana. While members of the same family, they are not the same plant. Industrial Hemp is not a drug and cannot be used as such because the THC content (the active drug found in marijuana) is too low to produce a high. Instead, industrial hemp is harvested for a myriad of uses as it has been for the past 2000 years - uses that include ships' sails, rope, clothing, baggage, etc.

 

[El_Machinae]

Ah, sorry, I meant peer-reviewed proof. The problem is that most 'pro-hemp' people seem (to me) to be 'pro-pot' people, and so I suspect an agenda.

 

[skadistic]

Is there any proof regarding hemp's lower environmental impact?

The fact that its a weed and doesnt need fertaliver or pestacide . I doesnt need much in the way of soil nutriants either. It is a thirsty plant so it sucks up alot more water then cotton or trees.

 

[El_Machinae]

Hmmmn, I'm sure cotton doesn't either, though.

I guess the test would be to run successive seasons of organic cotton and hemp on a field and see which was harder on the soil and which produced more fibres.

 

[Swiss Bezerker]

@ Narz: I did read TLC's post, and i was being sarcastic

 

[Narz]

@ Narz: I did read TLC's post, and i was being sarcastic

I figured you were. It's all good.

Ah, sorry, I meant peer-reviewed proof. The problem is that most 'pro-hemp' people seem (to me) to be 'pro-pot' people, and so I suspect an agenda.

Haha, they definitely have an agenda on that site (considering they are selling hemp goods). I'm sure you could find some peer-reviewed proof but I'm not sure where to look. There are probably books on the subject.

 

[El_Machinae]

I'm not trying to be difficult. I can see how having an informed opinion on this would be very valuable to society (since it's a debate that will happen).

 

[skadistic]

Hmmmn, I'm sure cotton doesn't either, though.

I guess the test would be to run successive seasons of organic cotton and hemp on a field and see which was harder on the soil and which produced more fibres.

For sure the hemp would make more fiber as cotton comes from the seed and hemp comes from the whole plant top to bottem. Cotton only grows a few feet high where hemp can be upto 20 feet.

 

[El_Machinae]

Cotton comes from the seed? Wow. Things I never knew ...

You're very right, then, on that count. After that, we'd only have to test the effects of multiple seasons on the soil.

 

[skadistic]

Hemp can grow in any dirt because its a weed. Durung vegetative growth it uses nitrates and sulphates but not much. Just the decompasition of the last years crop will give enough renurishment when added to the dead bug carcases and animal dropings and leaf litter that fall in a season. Height and stem growth is more dependant on light colour and duration. A long red spectrum light like the equater will give a taller thicker plant. The farther you go from the 0* lat. mark the shorter and more spindaly the plants will be. But will have less roots so they can be packed closer together. Cotton can't grow everywhere and has specific bugs out to get it like the bull weavel and needs pesticides to curtail destruction.

 

[amadeus]

So hemp can be used for what? I've got a point here, but I want to see the breakdown of stuff that can actually be made out of it.

 

[Narz]

So hemp can be used for what? I've got a point here, but I want to see the breakdown of stuff that can actually be made out of it.

http://www.thehia.org/faqs/faq7.htm

http://www.digitalhemp.com/enter/eersrch/page15.htm

This bit is interesting :

Ninety percent of all ships’ sails (since before the Phoenicians, from at least the the 5th Century B.C.E. until long after the invention and commercialization of steam ships - mid to late 19th century) were made from hemp.

The world “canvas” is the Dutch pronunciation (twice removed, from French and Latin) of the Greek word “Kannabis.”

 

[Narz]

By the way those are just the first two links on a Google search "uses of hemp".

 

[shadow2k]

Is there any proof regarding hemp's lower environmental impact?

These studies were done about 5yrs ago I beleive by Kentucky, Oregon, and North Dakota, all who made their cases to the DEA to lift restrictions on the crop just last week.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/ages001E/ages001Ed.pdf

Hemp diseases are not widespread and occur sporadically. They are usually caused by seed- and soil-borne fungi, which can be controlled by seed treatment before planting or by rotation (Dempsey). Under favorable conditions, hemp is very competitive with weeds, so herbicides are generally unnecessary in hemp fiber production (Ehrensing).

http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/ages001E/ages001Ek.pdf

All three of the studies do mention hemp's benefits as a rotation crop. As stated in the Oregon report, industrial hemp may prove an excellent rotation crop for traditional crops to avoid outbreaks of insect and disease problems or to suppress weeds (Ehrensing). The North Dakota report further states that hemp rebuilds and conditions soils by replacing organic matter and providing aeration through its extensive root system (Kraenzel et al.).

 

[amadeus]

Okay, so we can make some rope, shoes, shirts, and sails. Is there really a rope shortage that we need to be concerned about? What abut shoes or shirts? How difficult is it to find a shirt?

The only "use" I see for hemp products is an exc-use to smoke pot.

 

[shadow2k]

Okay, so we can make some rope, shoes, shirts, and sails. Is there really a rope shortage that we need to be concerned about? What abut shoes or shirts? How difficult is it to find a shirt?

The only "use" I see for hemp products is an exc-use to smoke pot.

It's painfully obvious how ignorant you are on the subject, and apparently didn't even bother to actually read most of the posts here. So I'll just make one simple point to you, that I'm sure you'll ignore again.

You can't get high off hemp.

 

[shadow2k]

Actually, here's just a few of the general uses for industrial hemp. Many of these are being produced in the US today through imported hemp.

Uses for the leaves

Animal bedding, mulch and mushroom compost

Uses for seeds/hemp oil

Food: Granola, protein-rich flour, salad oil, margarine, food supplements Health products: Soap, shampoo, bath gels and cosmetics Other uses: Birdseed, oil paints, solvents, varnish, chain saw lubricants, printing inks, putty and fuel

Uses for hemp stalk

Clothing: Fabrics, handbags, denim, diapers, socks, shoes and fine textiles from the cottonized fibers Other textile uses: Twine, rope, nets, canvas bags, tarps and carpets Paper: Printing paper, fine and specialty papers, technical filter paper, newsprint, cardboard and packaging products Building materials: Fiberboard, insulation material, fiberglass substitute, concrete blocks, stucco and mortar Industrial products: agro-fiber composites, compression- molded parts, brake/clutch linings and caulking

 

[El_Machinae]

So, how much more efficient is hemp than tree farms, for paper production?

 

[sanabas]

Hmmmn, I'm sure cotton doesn't either, though.

Yeah, cotton does. It needs a lot in the way of chemical assistance, irrigation, etc.