HOPEFUL HEMP
As jobs are lost , wages are cut and businesses are closed , could hemp play a role in getting the US economy back on track ?
Words by Caroline Barry
America ’ s unemployment rate dropped to just under 8 % in September , the lowest level since the start of the pandemic . But an unofficial figure by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity estimates that the real number could be more than 25 %, if all those looking for full-time work that pays a living wage are taken into account .
Farmers across the US have truly embraced hemp since the passage of the Farm Bill in 2018 . The versatile crop has created a huge economic opportunity - one that may be impossible to ignore for those seeking new opportunities to make money in the uncertain Covid era . The CBD trend may have driven the demand for hemp , but what about the other benefits of this incredible plant ?
HEMP PLASTIC
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems facing the planet today . The oceans are starting to fill up with micro particles which are absorbed by fish , birds and animals and then entered into the food chain . Landfills are full of non-recyclable plastic items which will not biodegrade . Hemp can be used to make a variety of items and is biodegradable . Once fibers have been removed from hemp stems , what remains is 77 % cellulose , which is a light source that could replace petrochemical plastics . It can also ‘ lock in ’ carbon , helping to clean the air .
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