The Leaf THE LEAF Sept-Oct 2018 | Page 17

All About that Hemp ! August 14 th 2017 ( HempHelps )
Currently , thirty-five ( 35 ) US states have positive legislation on record for cultivation of Hemp at various stages , from field tests , to actual acreage production .
We are celebrating the revival of the reintroduction of Hemp and its many applications into the American culture . Three major industries stand to make significant gains via the Hemp revival : textiles , paper , and plastic . Let ’ s take a moment to look at these industries individually and how they have the potential to ignite the Hemp revival .
Textiles
When was the last time you gave serious consideration to the content of fibres used in the clothes you wear daily ? Or even more importantly , how are those fibres created and what are the processes used in their manufacture ? Retail stores , catalogues , websites and many other stores that retail clothes are loaded with clothes and other textiles made from polyester . Polyester is a fabric made from finely spun plastic treated with several chemicals to achieve the look and feel of the desired fabric . PLASTIC AND CHEMICALS ! Is that really what you want your skin to be breathing in for nearly 24 hours a day ?
Rest assured , there is virtually no scientific data of the effect polyester has on our longterm health and well-being from any source . The garment lobby will not allow it , but it is something to ponder .
Even the beloved cotton so many people love to wear has its own downfalls . Cotton requires much more water for harvest than Hemp does . Cotton also uses chemicals for optimum crop yield . These chemicals needed for cotton production continue to deplete and destruct the soil . Hemp fibre , on the other hand , carries NONE of these burdens .
Paper
Deforestation is a killer to our planet . Trees act as Mother Nature ’ s “ lungs ,” however , cutting down trees for paper resources damages and kills our entire ecosystem . Our beloved forests hold thousands of species of animals and plants that are becoming endangered due to deforestation . If there are no trees , how is our Mother Earth supposed to live and breathe and sustain herself for the rest of humankind ? Producing Hemp for copy paper , boxes , toilet paper , books , and thousands more can have a positive impact on deforestation . Rather than using trees , use Hemp ! Hemp matures in 90-120 days , for trees it takes 20 years . On average , one acre of Hemp can produce two to four times more paper than one acre of trees .
Paper produced from Hemp can be recycled a little over two times more than timber paper . Paper manufacturing needs many harmful chemicals for bleaching , while Hemp can be simply whitened with hydrogen peroxide . Trees are needed to help remove emissions out of the air — just like Hemp .